To top of page Gender Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death and disability for men and women in the United States. To top of page Age Coronary artery disease is associated with the aging process. The older a person becomes, the more likely he or she is to develop atherosclerosis. Some races have a higher incidence of heart disease than others. Tobacco Use Tobacco has many effects on the body, particularly the circulatory system.
All organs suffer the effects of tobacco use.
Tobacco users have more than twice the risk of heart attack and are two to four times more likely to die of sudden cardiac death than non-users. Smoking is also detrimental to the health of your family members. The nicotine in tobacco causes the heart to work harder by increasing the heart rate and blood pressure. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke clings to the hemoglobin in your blood more readily than oxygen. Thus your heart may already be starving for the oxygen it needs.