When a smoker takes a drag off a cigarette, this raises the blood pressure by 5-10 mm Hg for about 30 minutes. When the person also takes a big sip of their morning coffee, then the blood pressure can actually go up even more and have a longer duration. How many people do you think will actually do both in the morning? The answer is, "many". However, given this fact, people with hypertension are NOT more likely to be smokers. I find that fact a little surprising. One thought is that smokers tend to be thinner than non-smokers. This feeds back to the addiction model. We all have some component of addictive behavior. If you are addicted to eating, you might feed your addiction with a fork. This is a hand to mouth reflex that brings a lot of pleasure. One might get that fix by eating and another might get that fix by smoking. We all have some inborn need for the hand to mouth connection. This is also a proven fact. 

Another explanation is that when you actually get your blood pressure taken, you are not likely to be smoking. In other words, you really don't go to the doctor and smoke in the exam room. The rise in blood pressure is the time period that is surrounding your smoking event. I don't think any of my patients would want to smoke in front of me.Or, at least I hope not.  So, the doctor is not likely to detect this rise in blood pressure that occurs with smoking. Using surveillance equipment, it is noted that smokers will have a daytime rise in their blood pressure of about 5 mm Hg.

So, if you are overweight and a smoker, you have twice the risk of having hypertension. What is hypertension anyway?  Whatever the cause, hypertension is initiated by the induction of arterial stiffness. As I see in my weight loss practice, the pipe pressure, or the increase in a human's blood pressure, can be caused by smoking, a high insulin level or other causes such as obesity. When the pipes in a system are no longer flexible and the amount of fluid increases, the pressure will increase. This is just the natural policy. Once a smoker's blood pressure increases, there is a tendency for this pressure to linger for up to a decade. 

Furthermore, what happens is that when a smoker takes in these fumes, there is a sudden burst in myocardial oxygen consumption with a rise in blood pressure, heart rate in myocardial contractility. With time, the arteries will increase in their stiffness. Researchers have found that the biggest rise in blood pressure occurs after the first smoke of the day. One study showed that there is an increase in kidney dysfunction with smokers also. This is due to the rise in blood pressure immediately after smoking. With this rise, there is an increase in the glomerular pressure. This is the filtration system that is in the kidneys. 

The other issue is that elevated blood pressure and smoking will cause the blood to become higher in viscosity. This simply means that the blood becomes much thicker. Here you have a system that has tighter pipes, and increase in the volume that is going through the pipes and a the fluid in the pipes is significantly thicker. This is a perfect set-up for a clog. When this occurs in the human heart, a heart attack occurs.Or if it happens in the brain, then a stroke will occur. So, what can you do?  My advice is to eat a diet in foods that lower the viscosity of the blood. 

It is ever more important to stay in balance. The first thing to do is to quit smoking. Now, I know that this is very hard to do. In fact, there is someone that is very near and dear to me that has not been able to quit the habit. It would be an answer to prayer if this person to quit smoking and for all my patients and readers of this Daily Dose to quit smoking. This is the most important thing to do to reduce the pressure and to naturally thin the blood. However, there are some natural supplements that will help to balance out the thromboxanes, or the clotting components. It is well-established that garlic, onions, Vitamins C and E, Selenium, Zinc, EPA (Omega 3 Fatty Acids), and curcumin will inhibit the thromboxanes that promote clotting. 

Tomorrow, we will talk about the cancer risks associated with smoking. Remember, I would greatly appreciate it if you were to spread the news about the Daily Dose. I love writing these for my patients and for everyone. I have readers that are in California to Washington. I do appreciate all of the feedback.  Thank you again.

Please go to my blog, www.DrHaendigesBlog.com and check it out. Let's get the conversation going.

Remember, it is easier to stay healthy than to get healthy.

Stay Healthy,

Dr. Michelle Haendiges