AC rooms and smoking: Understanding the risks to heart, brain, and kidneys

Smoking in general is harmful for health and when done in an enclosed space like a home, the harm becomes even more greater. Especially during the summer season, smokers ditch the open areas and choose closed, air-conditioned rooms, which significantly increases the health risks linked to smoking, impacting essential organs such as the heart, brain and kidney. In fact, it is not only direct smokers who are exposed to such dreadful dangers but passive smokers as well.

According to WHO, tobacco use is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in India, with over 1.35 million deaths occurring annually. While smoking is harmful whether done in any season or any time of the day, during the summer, it further reduces the body's heat tolerance capacity, trapping heat and leading to significant damage to vital organs. Thus, for anyone who is an active or passive smoker, it is vital to develop an understanding of the profound dangers associated with this lethal habit.

Smoking in air-conditioned rooms: Unseen health hazards

High blood pressure and heart rate: A stimulant drug, nicotine, has the tendency to alter blood circulation and heart rate. Being a primary psychoactive substance in smoke, it carries the ability to adversely impact overall cardiovascular health. Thus, when smoking in an air-conditioned space, where the air is often dry, the nicotine-rich smoke can end up putting additional strain on the heart. This strain can contribute to long-term high blood pressure, thereby heightening the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes.

Impeded oxygen delivery: Cigarette smoke is rich in carbon monoxide, which binds to hemoglobin more strongly than oxygen does, thereby reducing the amount of oxygen transported to the brain. In environments with limited air exchange, such as air-conditioned rooms, the decrease in oxygen levels can exacerbate this effect. This places significant strain on blood vessels, heightening the risk of stroke and accelerating cognitive decline. Additionally, it can exacerbate chronic issues like headaches and dizziness.

Impaired kidney function: Cigarette smoke is high in harmful chemical concentration, which can damage blood vessels, including those in the kidneys, resulting in impaired kidney function. This smoke, when combined with the dry AC air, can amplify the concentration of toxins, leading to kidney damage. Moreover, prolonged exposure to smoke in air-conditioned environments can overload the kidneys with harmful substances, impairing their function and heightening the risk of kidney stones and other kidney-related issues.

The sooner you quit, the better for your well-being

Smoking itself is associated with a never-ending list of health risks and when done in an air-conditioned space, those dangers can become more profound. The deadly cigarette smoke is high in poisonous components and when combined with AC air, it can end up posing a threat to the most significant elements of the human body, which include the heart, brain and kidney. Thus, for the sake of the good health and well-being of yourself and your loved ones, it is not only crucial to cease smoking in air-conditioned environments but to quit smoking altogether, one step towards better health at a time.