Health Tip for 26 November, '09

Smoking cigarettes increases the coagulability of blood which increases the chances of clot formation. These blood clots can block the blood supply and may lead to serious heart conditions, including fatal heart attacks. Also, smoking increases the blood pressure by 10-15 percent, putting additional stress on the heart and blood vessels, thus increasing the risk of heart attack. Smoking also decreases the good (HDL) cholesterol which helps reduce the risk of heart disease. Just by quitting smoking, HDL level can increase by up to 10%.