Health Hazards of Smoking - Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure

Nicotine in the cigarette causes constriction of blood vessels which increases blood pressure resulting in hypertension.

Smoking causes an acute increase plasma ACTH, cortisol, aldosterone, and catecholamine levels which can in turn lead to indirect elevation of blood pressure.

Each time a cigarette is smoked there is an acute rise in blood pressure. Further more studies have shown that smoking interferes with the metabolism of multiple anti-hypertensive medications.