Would you prefer smoking or nonsmoking?
It's a pretty loaded question if you
consider even one of the diseases associated with the
smoking habit. The one that comes most readily to
mind is, of course, lung cancer. Yet smoking is
also a leading and preventable cause of other life-threatening
diseases including heart disease.
Smoking cigarettes increases your risk substantially for coronary heart disease (CHD), heart attack, stroke, peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and other cardiovascular diseases.
When you smoke, you accelerate the process known as atherosclerosis, which is a narrowing or hardening of the arteries caused by a buildup of plaque. Most cases of cardiovascular disease are caused by atherosclerosis. Smoking also increases your blood pressure, reduces your tolerance for exercise and decreases your HDL, or "good" cholesterol.
A Message for Women
Women who smoke double their risk for CHD
and are six times more likely than nonsmoking
women to have a heart attack. It's important to note
that smokers who take oral contraceptives have an
even higher risk of heart attack and stroke than
those who do not.
A Warning to Nonsmokers
There is no longer any doubt that breathing someone
elses smoke can be hazardous to your health too.
Researchers now say that exposure to secondhand
smoke can increase your risk of developing heart
disease by as much as 25 to 30 percent. If you already
have a history of heart disease, you would be wise to
avoid even short exposures to secondhand smoke.
A Word of Encouragement to Quitters
If you have recently quit, or are in the process of
trying, here are some facts to keep you motivated:
Your risk of CHD decreases by 50 percent one year after you stop.
Your risk of stroke becomes about that of a nonsmoker about five to 15 years after you quit.
Your risk of heart disease becomes the same as a nonsmoker after being smoke-free for about 15 years.
For immediate gratification, consider this: Your blood pressure and heart rate improve almost instantly when you stop smoking. You will be breathing easier in a matter of days and feeling so proud to respond to that familiar question with a new answer: "I prefer nonsmoking please."
To learn more, or to find a smoking cessation program thats right for you, talk to your physician.
