Introduction
Throughout the centuries, smoking has remained a negative addictive behavior, causing many health complications. Smoking correlates with high morbidity rates, urging people to avoid such a habit. Especially, females taking birth control pills damage their blood vessels due to the toxic chemicals. Since tobacco smoking is associated with more frequent deaths of women taking oral contraceptives, nurses promoting positive behavior should inspire patients to quit smoking.
Health Risks of Tobacco Use and Hormonal Contraceptives in Women
The tobacco epidemic’s detrimental consequences to health are underestimated among patients. It kills 8 million people yearly, including 1.2 million people suffering from second-hand smoke (World Health Organization, 2022). The national statistics are even more frustrating since 1 in 8 women develops this habit, the most significant preventable death cause among 2 million females in the US (Truth Initiative, 2019).
The combination of tobacco with oral contraceptives is lethal since extra estrogen delivered by birth control pills and nicotine increases a woman’s heart rate and blood pressure (Allen et al., 2019). This combination pressures blood vessels, increasing the chances of strokes and blood clots resulting in thrombosis. Although 1 in 3000 females might die from this condition, the risks increase depending on a woman’s age and medical history(Yen, 2021). Therefore, females create risky combinations by smoking and taking birth control pills, which can cause lethal consequences.
The Role of Nursing Interventions in Smoking Cessation and Risk Reduction
Motivating patients to quit smoking is pivotal, as nurses have an opportunity to promote positive behavior. The primary relevance of quitting smoking and nursing is that health professionals educate and support their patients during various medical decisions, such as nicotine replacement therapies. Moreover, nurses acknowledge the importance of feelings in promoting compliance with appropriate healthcare behaviors, thereby encouraging patients to reflect more on their addictive habits (Wagner, 2022).
The expected outcomes of addressing questions regarding smoking and birth control are decreased levels of morbidity. The more women realize that smoking is harmful, the more they choose safe birth control over tobacco. Hence, nurses can inspire patients to develop this attitude and avoid smoking.
Conclusion
To conclude, smoking is an unhealthy habit that causes cancer, chronic and cardiovascular diseases, being the cause of high morbidity among populations. When females combine it with oral contraceptives, their hearts over-function to supply blood vessels, resulting in blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks. This personal choice increases the frequency of thrombosis, urging nurses to help and encourage patients to quit the habit and prioritize healthy choices.
References
Allen, A. M., Weinberger, A. H., Wetherill, R. R., Howe, C. L., & McKee, S. A. (2019). Oral Contraceptives and cigarette smoking: a Review of the literature and future directions. Nicotine & Tobacco Research: Official Journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 21(5), 592–601.
Truth Initiative. (2019). The facts about women and tobacco.
Wagner, M. (2022). Smoking nursing diagnosis & care plan. Nursing together.
World Health Organization. (2022). Tobacco.
Yen, S. (2021). Smoking and birth control: Understanding the risks. Pandia Health.