Effects of Smoking
Requirements for Efficient Gas
Exchange
Healthy person
Clear air passage
Healthy alveoli
Healthy lung
Smoker
Diseases Caused by Smoking
• Emphysema
• Lung Cancer
• Bronchitis
• Coronary heart diseases
• Ulcers
• Premature delivery
Effect on the air passages
o Chemicals in inhaled smoke cause paralysis and damage of cilia.
o Stimulate goblet cells causing hypersecretion of mucus
o Inflamed bronchial wall
o Examples:o Smoker’s cough
o Bronchitis
Effect on the alveoli
o Damage alveoli, causing them to break down and fuse or harden again.
o Dilates blood vessels and capillaries
o Reduce rate of gas exchange, making it harder for the body to obtain
sufficient oxygen to respire.
o Examples:o Emphysema
Effect on the lung
o Smoke contains carcinogens in tar that are deposited in the lungs and
sometimes, airways.
o These cancerous substances affect the lungs, developing tumors and
diseases
o Examples:o Lung cancer
Effect on the blood
o Smoke contains carbon monoxide – a highly poisonous gas.
o Diffuses into the bloodstream through the alveoli
o React with haemoglobin to form carboxyhaemoglibin which will now only
bind with carbon dioxide instead of oxygen.
o Examples:o Heart diseases
o Premature delivery
o Underweight babies
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