Everyone, especially smokers, have heard how dangerous smoking can be for their health. According to the American Heart Association, more than 440,000 people die each year due to smoking-related diseases. More than 135,000 additional deaths are said to be connected to the effect of cigarettes on the cardiovascular system.
But what about when people with Type 2 diabetes smoke as well? The cardiovascular burden of Type 2 diabetes, especially in combination with smoking, is not really effectively communicated to people with diabetes, or even to their doctors. As well, there seems to be little evidence this risk factor is talked about consistently.
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center stated: "There is no safe amount of smoking. Smokers continue to increase their risk of heart attack the longer they smoke. People who smoke a pack of cigarettes a day have more than twice the risk of heart attack than non-smokers.
Within 24 hours of quitting smoking, the National Institute of Drug Abuse have stated blood pressure and the chances of heart attack actually decrease. In a man of 35 years gives up smoking, this could mean an increased life expectancy of around 5 years.