Chronic Diseases from Tobacco Use
Grade 15 · Health · 45 min
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Learning Objective
I can analyze the physiological mechanisms by which tobacco use leads to chronic diseases.
- 1
Nicotine, a stimulant found in tobacco, causes blood vessels to constrict which can lead to heart diseases, and also stimulates the adrenal gland.
- 2
Tar in tobacco smoke affects the mucus membranes of the respiratory system, while carbon monoxide damages the lining of blood vessels and increases fatty deposits.
- 3
Long-term tobacco use can lead to chronic conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema, which involves the destruction of alveoli in the lungs.
