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| Effects Of Smoking On Respiratory System |
Question:
What effects of smoking are there on the respitory system itself?
Answer:
The effects of tobacco smoke on the respiratory system include:
Irritation of the trachea (windpipe) and larynx (voice box).
Reduced lung function and breathlessness due to swelling and narrowing
of the lung airways and excess mucus in the lung passages.
Impairment of the lungs' clearance system, leading to the build up of
poisonous substances, which results in lung irritation and damage.
Increased risk of lung infection and symptoms such as coughing and wheezing.
Permanent damage to the air sacs of the lungs.
Along with nicotine, smokers also inhale about 4,000 other chemicals.
Many of these compounds are chemically active and trigger profound and
damaging changes in the body. Smoking harms nearly every organ in the
body, causing many diseases and reducing health in general.
Smoking is also associated with increased symptoms of
chronic bronchitis, such as coughing, production of sputum, and
wheezing. Lung function is significantly poorer and there are
significantly greater abnormalities in the large airways of
smokers than in non-smokers.
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