MHVI Owners Manual . Lifestyle Management . Smoking Cessation

Cigarette smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to have a heart attack. If you have already been diagnosed with a heart or vascular condition, it is especially important that you quit as soon as possible!

In this section, we will be discussing one of the most important lifestyle changes you can make: quitting smoking. If you currently smoke, stopping would be the most important gift you could ever give yourself. Cigarette smoking puts you at serious risk for developing all forms of cardiovascular disease. Over 4,000 dangerous chemicals are produced by cigarette smoke!

Nicotine and other chemicals contained in cigarettes affect your heart and blood vessels in several negative ways:

They speed up the process of athero-sclerosis, which is the major cause of coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque (cholesterol and other substances) on the inside of your artery walls that leads to the narrowing of the arteries.
They decrease your good cholesterol level (HDL). HDL is the type of cholesterol that carries the bad cholesterol back to your liver where it can be eliminated.
They increase the possibility of blood clot formation that can lead to heart attack and stroke.

In addition, cigarette smoking causes lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and many types of cancer. It has also been shown to contribute to impotence, peptic ulcers, and birth injuries.

The good news is that as soon as you quit, the effects from smoking begin to gradually decrease. Over time, these effects can be eliminated almost completely in some patients.

You may have tried to quit in the past, maybe more than once, and felt a strong sense of failure when you began to smoke again. This may have discouraged you from trying again. Research has shown that most smokers try to quit several times before they are able to quit for good. Try thinking of your previous attempts as practice for the day you will quit forever. Instead of blaming yourself, think about all that you have learned from each attempt that will be helpful to you now. If you have never tried to quit, we urge you to do so soon.

Quitting smoking requires effort. The nicotine in cigarettes is known to be more addictive than cocaine or heroin, both physically and mentally. But there is a lot of help available once you are ready to try.

You may be someone that wants to try switching to gradually lower tar and nicotine cigarettes to begin the process of quitting. This can work, but eventually you will need to simply stop. Evidence shows that once you have cut down to 10 cigarettes per day, it is time to just quit. Nicotine patches, gum or spray can effectively curb your cravings for cigarettes. Information on all these supports is available to you; ask your doctor, nurse, and/or pharmacist. Your doctor may prescribe other specific medications to help you quit. Or, you may just decide to stop "cold turkey."

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