Is it okay to smoke one hour after undergoing a gastroscopy?

Generally, patients should not smoke for at least one hour after undergoing a gastroscopy. Detailed explanations are as follows:

Gastroscopy, being an invasive diagnostic procedure, may irritate the mucous membranes of the throat and stomach, causing discomfort such as nausea, vomiting, foreign-body sensation in the throat, and edema. Tobacco contains harmful substances such as tar and nicotine, which produce smoke when burned and can further irritate the throat and lungs.

Smoking shortly after a gastroscopy may worsen discomfort in the throat and stomach, delaying the recovery of both gastric and throat mucosa. Furthermore, smoking itself is detrimental to overall health and long-term smoking increases the risk of diseases such as gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and lung cancer.

For a period after undergoing a gastroscopy, patients should avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and consuming spicy, greasy, or other irritating foods to prevent additional stress on the gastrointestinal system and to facilitate recovery.