Effect of Hookah Smoking on Serum Cholesterol, Plasma Ascorbic Acid, Respiration Rate and Blood Pressure in Agricultural Labourers

Abstract

Smoking is one of the most important exogenous factors which tends to increase incidence of coronary heart disease. The incidence of myocardial infarction is three times greater and death from coronary heart disease is five times greater in smokers than in non-smokers. Smoking leads to high rate of heart attack, chronic bronchitis, emphysema blindness and deafness, bringing in tremendous loss - a premature loss of life, an economic loss to nation, untold misery to millions of families annually, unwanted morbidity and loss in organised and unorganized sectors and an increased burden in the health budget.