It causes chronic inflammation or swelling in the lungs, leading to chronic bronchitis. And cigarette smoke changes the enzyme balance of the lungs, leading to destruction of lung tissue that occurs in emphysema. Heart disease accounts for more than half of the deaths due to smoking. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart attacks and sudden cardiac death. It increases the risk of recurrence in persons who have survived a heart attack.
Smoking is also a major cause of stroke.
More than 2,000 deaths from stroke each year in Canada result from smoking. Smoking and the lupus patient Lupus patients must do all they can to ensure their general good health. In the past 30 years, life expectancy for lupus patients has improved considerably, thanks in part to the use of steroids. The downside is that lupus patients are at higher risk of experiencing complications of long term steroid use, mainly premature coronary disease or heart attacks. Knowing the association of smoking with heart disease, it is doubly important that lupus patients do not smoke.