Smoking
The bad news:
Smoking is the number one preventable risk factor in many diseases including cardiovascular disease.
Nicotine:
- Increases blood pressure making the heart beat faster and harder
- Deprives the body of oxygen
- Increases the chance of an irregular heart rhythm
- Decreases the good cholesterol (HDL) in the body
- Increases your risk of heart attack by almost two-fold
- Quitting is very, very difficult
The good news:
If you stop smoking, the health benefits are great:
- You decrease your risk of heart attack by almost 60% after 3 years
- After 5 years, your risk of heart attack is back to that of someone who has never smoked
Quitting
On the average, it takes 3 attempts for someone to actually quit (it is always worth another try).
The best combination of methods to quit include:
- Support and encouragement from a professional
- Use of a nicotine supplement (gum, patch, or inhalent)
- Bupropion to curb the urge to smoke (ask your physician for advice)
Back to Patient Education
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
This site provides materials for information and education only. It is not to be considered medical advice. LVCA encourages you to see your physician for any of the health issues discussed here. The field of medicine changes on a regular basis, therefore we do not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided on this site, nor do we guarantee that the information represents the most currently accepted standards.
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