Does Smoking Tobacco Cause High Blood Pressure?
No. However, it can temporarily raise blood pressure, and it DOES increase
the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases.
Smoking and Heart Health
Smoking injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of
the arteries. So even though it does not cause high blood pressure, smoking is
bad for anyone, especially those with high blood pressure. If you smoke, quit.
If you don't smoke, don't start. Once you quit, your risk of having a heart
attack is reduced after the first year. So you have a lot to gain by quitting.
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Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Related articles
The Smoking Cessation Action Area © 1995 National Cancer Institute "Clearing the Air" NIH Publication No. 95-1647 except where otherwise noted.
