Smoking affects your heart
The single most important thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of developing
coronary heart disease is to
stop smoking.
Smoking just 5 cigarettes a day can double the chance of having a heart attack and the recovery rate for smokers after a heart attack is significantly lower than that of a non-smoker. The good news is that after six months of giving up, your risk of having a heart attack begins to fall.
How smoking affects the heart
- Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen carried in the blood to the heart.
- Nicotine makes the heart beat faster and increases blood pressure, putting a strain on the heart.
- The build up of fatty deposits in the arteries that causes heart disease (atherosclerosis) is significantly increased in smokers.
If you live with a smoker or come into contact with ‘
second hand' smoke regularly your risk of developing heart disease increases considerably.
How to stop
Once you have made the decision to
stop smoking there are a number of methods available to help you. You can create your own individual plan by combining the following different methods.
- Willpower: whatever method you use willpower will be required
- Counselling: support groups or talking to your doctor will help you to deal with the emotional aspect of quitting
- Nicotine Replacement Therapies: a range of products are readily available and will help you to get through withdrawal symptoms and cravings
- Alternative therapies: some people benefit from therapies such as hypnosis or acupuncture
- Prescription medicines: some medicines are only available on prescription, your GP will be able to recommend and prescribe these
