High blood pressure describes a health condition where the force of blood against the artery walls is consistently too high. This sustained elevation can damage the heart and blood vessels over time, leading to serious health issues. The question of whether smoking cigars increases this risk often arises, especially since many cigar smokers do not inhale the smoke. Scientific evidence confirms that cigar use contributes to increasing blood pressure and the development of hypertension.
Immediate Physiological Effects on Blood Pressure
Smoking a single cigar causes a rapid, temporary spike in both heart rate and blood pressure, an acute physical response that begins almost immediately. This effect is primarily driven by the nicotine delivered into the bloodstream, which acts as a stimulant on the body’s sympathetic nervous system. Nicotine triggers the release of adrenaline, a hormone that causes the heart to beat faster and with greater force, increasing the amount of blood pumped per minute.
Simultaneously, the nicotine and other compounds in the smoke cause vasoconstriction, which is the narrowing of the blood vessels throughout the body. This narrowing forces the same volume of blood to flow through a smaller space, which instantly raises the pressure against the artery walls.
Studies show that smoking one cigar can increase systolic blood pressure by 10 to 12 mmHg and heart rate by 5 to 7 beats per minute. This elevation lasts for the duration of the cigar and beyond, placing a temporary burden on the cardiovascular system by increasing the heart’s workload.
Nicotine Absorption Pathways in Cigar Use
The way a cigar delivers nicotine explains why it can have such a strong physiological effect even when the smoke is not deeply inhaled into the lungs. Cigar tobacco is typically fermented and cured in a way that makes the smoke more alkaline, or basic, than the smoke from most cigarettes. This higher pH level means a larger proportion of the nicotine exists in a free, un-ionized form.
This unionized nicotine is readily absorbed directly through the mucous membranes of the mouth, a process known as buccal absorption. Therefore, the smoker does not need to inhale the smoke to receive a substantial dose of nicotine that is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. A single cigar often contains significantly more total tobacco and nicotine than a cigarette, meaning the overall potential dose is much higher.
Developing Sustained Hypertension
While the immediate blood pressure spikes are temporary, repeatedly exposing the cardiovascular system to these effects contributes to the development of sustained hypertension over time. The continuous surges in blood pressure place chronic mechanical stress on the inner lining of the arteries, known as the endothelium. This repeated stress and exposure to smoke toxins eventually leads to endothelial dysfunction, an early sign of vascular damage.
Endothelial dysfunction impairs the blood vessel’s ability to relax and widen naturally, a process necessary for maintaining healthy blood flow and pressure. Over time, this damage also contributes to arterial stiffness, making the large arteries less elastic and more rigid. This reduced flexibility means the arteries cannot absorb the pulse of blood from the heart as effectively, resulting in a chronically elevated systolic blood pressure.
Frequency of Cigar Use and Overall Risk
The overall risk of developing sustained high blood pressure from cigar smoking is directly related to the frequency and duration of use. Studies show that the most significant increases in mortality risk are observed in individuals who smoke two or more cigars daily or who inhale the smoke. The cardiovascular system still experiences a measurable, detrimental effect every time a cigar is smoked, regardless of frequency.
The acute blood pressure spike and increase in arterial stiffness are evident immediately after smoking a single cigar, and these effects can persist for at least two hours. Since a single cigar often takes an hour or more to smoke, the cardiovascular system is under strain for a considerable duration per use. Even infrequent cigar use contributes to cumulative damage, demonstrating that it does not negate the cardiovascular risk, especially for those with existing risk factors for hypertension.