How Smoking and Drinking Affect Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
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NURSING ASSIGNMENT1
Analysis
Sickle cell disease refers to the group of disorders which affects the hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is
the molecule of the red blood cells which is responsible for delivering oxygen to the rest of the
body parts. The people suffering from sickle cell disease have atypical hemoglobin molecule in
which the hemoglobin molecules takes the form of sickle or crescent shape. People suffering
from sickle cell disease are affected by increased smoking and drinking alcohol. The concept of
how smoking affects patients suffering from sickle cell anemia are discussed here. Intake of
tobacco reduces the flow of oxygen into the lungs (Sadreameli et al., 2016). This not only affects
the tissues of the lungs but also affects the tissues throughout the body. Infection of lung occurs
which may even lead to permanent damage of lung like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
and emphysema. Lung problems are common to the people suffering from sickle anemia. When
a person smokes, the chances of acquiring acute chronic syndrome including problems in
breathing and fever increase. The chances of pneumonia and pulmonary hypertension also gets
increased. The patient also develops the chances of strokes or other life threatening diseases.
Excessive smoking causes the blood vessels to decrease in size (Sadreameli et al., 2016). This
will lead to the crisis of pain. The nicotine of the tobacco gets attached to the hemoglobin which
in turn decreases the concentration of oxygen in the blood stream. This trigger the episode of
pain in the patient. The patients of the sickle cell anemia, excessive smoking increases the
chances of developing leg ulcer. Smoking increase the chance of lung cancer along with cancer
of throats, bladder, esophagus, kidney and pancreas. Smoking marijuana also increases the
chances of cancer more that smoking tobacco. Marijuana smoke consists of 50 to 70% more
chemicals which may cause cancer more than tobacco smoke. Street names of marijuana are pot,
grass, weed, bud, hydro and dope. The marijuana smoke increases the heart rate, causes drying of