Even as a child you were likely told that smoking was bad for you! It is common knowledge in today’s society both smoking and secondhand smoke are extremely damaging to your body. A new scientific study points the finger, no longer just at the toxic chemicals you find in cigarettes, but also at nicotine itself, the addictive component in tobacco.
Released by the University Hospital Magdeburg of Germany, this recent study revealed that nicotine in the bloodstream is a direct cause of Atrial Fibrosis, a condition which causes arrhythmias and is directly linked to Congenital Heart Failure.
“So far, the effects of nicotine on the blood vessels have been extensively studied,” remarked Dr. Andreas Goette, lead author of the report, “but good data about direct cardiac effects of nicotine in patients was missing.”
In an attempt to provide that data, Goette’s study shows that nicotine itself, while often thought of only as the addictive ingredient in cigarettes and not the toxic ingredient, can significantly harm the functions and overall health of the heart. This new perspective is very interesting when we consider how people choose to Quit Smoking.
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