Cigarette smoking releases powerful body chemicals that can cause cardiac rhythm abnormalities. There are more than 54 million smokers today. Unfortunately, more than 3 million of the are teenagers. Each year, cigarette smoking contributes to the death of 325,000 people. The heart rate also increases 15-25 beats per minute.
Nicotine causes arteries to constrict, so smoking reduces the blood supply to the heart.
Cigarettes contain over 300 chemicals, including benzene, formic acid, ammonia, nitrogen oxide, nicotine and tar to name a few. Burning tobacco smoke produces carbon monoxide, which reduces the red blood cells ability to carry oxygen.