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Indiana Tobacco Quitline 1-800-QUIT-NOW

Quitline > Chronic Conditions Chronic Conditions

Smoking cigarettes can lead to developing health complications beyond lung, throat, and other cancers. Cigarettes are also known to also create and aggravate chronic conditions for smokers. Most commonly, smoking can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. However, smoking has also been tied to blindness, dental disease and erectile dysfunction.

Heart disease and stroke are among the top three causes of death in the United States and Indiana. Smoking increases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke by up to four times. Because smoking damages the lungs and airways as well, respiratory diseases are common among smokers. Some of these diseases include emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, and chronic airway obstruction.

Tobacco & Diabetes

For those with diabetes, quitting smoking is the greatest step that can be taken towards treating the condition. While those with diabetes are three times more likely to die from a cardiovascular disease, smoking combined with diabetes makes a person eleven times more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke. Also, those with diabetes who smoke are twice as likely to have blood circulation problems; leading to leg and foot infections, at times requiring amputation.

Click here to download our Control Your Diabetes brochure and learn more about tobacco's impact on those with diabetes.