Home » Cardiovascular Health » Heart Disease Risk Factors » Drinking and Smoking

Dangerous Habit that Raises Cholesterol – Smoking!

  • Cigarette smoking is one of many risk factors for heart disease
  • Smoking affects cholesterol levels by producing artery plaque. These blocked arteries can lead to heart disease, heart attack or stroke
  • Stopping smoking is important. Never give up trying

By now, everyone knows that cigarette smoking is one of the worst activities there are for health. Cancer, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis are just a few of many health problems associated with smoking. There is also a proven effect on cholesterol. Smoking cigarettes increases the body’s cholesterol level which leads to heart disease and stroke. It is extremely important to monitor your cholesterol. Smoking kills more people every year than any other disease or accidents. There are many reasons for quitting smoking, lowering your cholesterol level will help to reduce your risk of heart attack and other heart diseases.

If you have high cholesterol, smoking can be a leading contributor. High cholesterol smoking can be deadly if something is not done about it as soon as possible high cholesterol smoking can cause not only you but your family as well an altered lifestyle at best, at worst your death.

Stopping smoking is not an easy thing to do. There are however, numerous aids available to help you with the task. Your doctor can make several suggestions that will help you stop smoking; anything from prescription medications to over the counter assistance may be used. If you find that you fail over and over again you can’t give up. It takes most people several attempts before they are able to permanently kick the habit. Don’t ever give up; even a short time off of cigarettes will reduce the risk of heart disease.

The smoking effect on cholesterol is huge and the importance of lowering your cholesterol cannot be exaggerated as it plays an important role in preventing heart disease. Among many other things high cholesterol raises blood pressure which causes extra strain on your heart, making it work harder. Lowering your cholesterol reduces this pressure on your heart, allowing it to work at a more normal level of exertion. High cholesterol prevention and lowering your cholesterol will also prevent your arteries from constricting. Smoking causes your blood vessels to dilate which makes them more susceptible to the buildup of plaque which build over time working to block the blood supply available to your heart. This process leads to arterial sclerosis. Once the vessels to the heart become blocked it is inevitable that you will have a heart attack. A heart attack can be sudden and happen so fast that you may not be able to be saved and if you are the lack of blood flow to your brain can leave you with permanent brain damage.


Smoking effects cholesterol and high cholesterol leads to heart disease and greatly increases your risk of heart attack or stroke. Even if smoking has been a lifelong habit that is difficult to break, it is not worth jeopardizing your life and health. If your life is not important to you, you can be rest assured that it matters to your family. Not only can it cause them to have to take care of you. It may cause them to mourn your death. The next time you light up remember that every cigarette is working to damage your heart.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.

2 Responses to “Dangerous Habit that Raises Cholesterol – Smoking!”

  1. 1
    Candice Says:
    I understand how fatty foods, for example, can increase your cholesterol levels, but I don't get how smoking does. I mean, I know the chemicals are bad of the lungs and all, but I'm still confused where the cholesterol in cigarette comes from. Can anyone explain?
  2. 2
    Candice Says:
    I understand how fatty foods, for example, can increase your cholesterol levels, but I don't get how smoking does. I mean, I know the chemicals are bad of the lungs and all, but I'm still confused where the cholesterol in cigarette comes from. Can anyone explain?