The Heart & Vascular Center

   Smoking cigarettes causes 1,000 Americans to die each day.  It is the single most important preventable cause of death in the United States.  One out of every six deaths in the U.S. is related to smoking.  In 1990, 26% of all Americans smoked cigarettes.  Chances are you are a smoker, have been, or know someone who is a smoker.

" Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined That Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous To Your Health."    Sound familiar? Sure it does, its on the package of every pack of cigarettes sold... and for good reason! 

   Those of you who smoke have double the risk of dying from coronary heart disease (CHD) as do those who have never smoked.  Your risk for stroke is also doubled.  The risk of developing CHD rises with increasing exposure to cigarette smoke, as measured by the number of cigarettes smoked daily, the total number of years one has smoked, the degree of inhalation, and how early in life one started smoking. Smoking in conjunction with other risk factors such as low HDL cholesterol and/or hypertension dramatically increases CHD risk.  Women who use oral contraceptives and who smoke increase their risk of myocardial infarction by approximately tenfold.  cigarette smoking has been found to elevate the risk of sudden death syndrome significantly. 

   Many studies have shown that cigarette smokers have a greater risk of dying from a variety of diseases than nonsmokers.  If a smoker and a nonsmoker are victims of the same disease, the disease is more likely to be fatal to the smoker. the risk of lung cancer increases 12 times and other cancers are also more prevalent among smokers - mouth cancer (6 times the risk), throat cancer (10 times the risk), as well as increased bladder, pancreas, and kidney cancers. 

   When you smoke, the nicotine raises your heart rate, increases blood pressure, and constricts blood vessels.  The nicotine also has been shown in studies to irritate the inner lining of arteries making them much more susceptible to plaque build up.  The carbon monoxide from the smoke inhaled decreases the amount of oxygen that can be delivered to the heart.

   With all this information, its no wonder that to a nonsmoker it seems unbelievable that there are any smokers at all, but to a smoker told to quit, the old saying "better said than done" was never truer.  The habit of smoking is much more than that, it is a chemical reaction to nicotine.  In fact, a recent study showed that the addiction to nicotine is equal to or even more difficult to break than the addiction to heroin. 

   When any chemical addiction is broken, there are actually 2 phases that need to be overcome.  First, the chemical addiction is usually overcome by the 3rd or 4th day of being without cigarettes, although the craving for nicotine can last in some individuals for 2 to 4 weeks.  Then the psychological addiction (or habit) must be overcome.  this is usually the longest phase of recovery - old habits are hard to break! Withdrawal symptoms include; anxiety, irritability, trouble sleeping, lack of concentration, tiredness, dizziness, headaches, coughing, constipation, and hunger.

   Some helpful ideas when one has decided to quit smoking (and remember, that is the single most
important decision a smoker can make - and the most difficult one!).  Make a contract with yourself - pick a specific day to stop smoking and hold yourself to it - no excuses!  Throw out all cigarettes, put ashtrays and lighters out of sight.  Keep low-calorie items around like carrot or celery sticks to chew on when you get the urge to smoke.  Think of other pleasurable activities you can do instead of smoking - riding a bike, write a letter, etc...  Keep reminding yourself of the benefits of quitting and the consequences of restarting.  Identify situations where you are more likely to smoke and avoid them.  Enlist the help of those around you to offer encouragement and support through this difficult time.  Think of yourself as a nonsmoker!

  By quitting, the risk of heart attack drops dramatically by 1 to 2 years and returns to normal
after 10 years.  Within a day of quitting, the carbon monoxide level in the blood decreases and the oxygen level increases to normal.  The heartbeat slows to normal.  The lungs begin to clear and repair themselves.  You will also benefit those closest to you.  Children have half the bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear infections than when their mothers were smoking.  Spouses of nonsmokers have half the lung cancer risk of spouses living with smokers. 

   If you need further information about quitting smoking, contact your physician or the American Heart Association.  There are numerous smoking cessation programs available.  A physician may be able to guide you to one of the more successful programs, or he/she may wish to prescribe a nicotine patch or gum to assist you. 

   Smoking causes unknown millions of dollars in medical expenses.  If we do our part to get one person to quit smoking not only have we helped bring health care costs down, we have helped that person live better, feel better, and create a cleaner environment!