Most people associate cigarette smoking with breathing problems and lung cancer. But did you know smoking is also a major cause of heart disease?

What's the link between smoking and heart disease?

• About 30% of all deaths from heart disease in the United States are directly related to cigarette smoking. Smoking is a major cause of coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis) – a disease of the arteries in the heart. Atherosclerosis occurs when the normal lining of the arteries deteriorates, the walls of the arteries thicken and deposits of fat and plaque block the flow of blood through the arteries. The arteries that supply blood to the heart become severely narrowed, decreasing the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart – especially during times of increased activity. Extra strain on the heart may result in chest pain (angina pectoris) and other symptoms.
  
• Cigarettes have multiple poisons, including addictive nicotine, carbon monoxide, “tars,” and hydrogen cyanide. There are 4,000 other chemicals of varying toxicity, including 43 known carcinogens.
  
  Smoking causes:
  
• Decreased oxygen to the heart
• Increased blood pressure and heart rate
• Increased risk of developing heart disease
• Increase in blood clotting
• Increased risk of becoming sick (especially among children: respiratory infections are more common among children exposed to second-hand smoke)
• Damage to cells that line coronary arteries and other blood vessels
  

The affect is cumulative – the more you smoke – the greater your risk.
What is the link between heart attacks and smoking?
A person’s risk of heart attack greatly increases with the number of cigarettes he or she smokes. Smokers continue to increase their risk of heart attack the longer they smoke. People who smoke a pack a day have more than twice the risk of heart attack than non-smokers. Women who smoke and also take birth control pills increase several times their risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease.

How does cigarette smoke affect others?
Cigarette smoke does not just affect smokers. When you smoke, the people around you are also at risk for developing health problems, especially children. Environmental tobacco smoke (also called passive smoke or second-hand smoke) affects people who are frequently around smokers. Second-hand smoke can cause chronic respiratory conditions, cancer and heart disease.

How can quitting smoking be helpful?
Now that you know how smoking can be harmful to your health and the health of those around you, here are some ways quitting can be helpful. If you quit smoking, you will:

• Prolong your life
• Reduce your risk of disease (including heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, lung cancer, throat cancer, emphysema, ulcers, gum disease and other conditions.)
• Feel healthier (After quitting, you won't cough as much, have as many sore throats and you will increase your stamina.)
• Look better (Quitting can help you prevent face wrinkles, get rid of stained teeth and improve your skin.)
• Improve your sense of taste and smell
• Save money
  

How can I quit?
There's no one way to quit that works for everyone. To quit smoking, you must be ready emotionally and mentally. You must also want to quit smoking for yourself, and not to please your friends or family. Plan ahead.

Before you quit:
(Check off the items on this list as you accomplish them)
Pick a date to stop smoking and then stick to it.
Write down your reasons for quitting. Read over the list every day, before and after you quit.
Write down when you smoke, why you smoke and what you are doing when you smoke. You will learn what triggers you to smoke.
Stop smoking in certain situations (such as at your work break or after dinner) before actually quitting.
Make a list of activities you can do instead of smoking. Be ready to do something else when you want to smoke.
Visualize yourself as a nonsmoker.
Ask your health care provider about using nicotine gum, nicotine patches or prescription medication to help you quit smoking. Some people find these aids helpful.
Join a smoking cessation support group or program.

When You Quit

• Start your "Quit Day" morning without a cigarette.
• Don't carry a lighter, matches or cigarettes. Keep all of these smoking reminders out of sight.
• If you live with a smoker, ask that person not to smoke in your presence.
• Don't focus on what you are missing. Think about the healthier way of life you are gaining.
• When you get the urge to smoke, take a deep breath. Hold it for ten seconds and release it slowly. Repeat this several times until the urge to smoke is gone.
• Keep your hands busy. Doodle, play with a pencil or straw, or work on a computer.
• Change activities that were connected to smoking. Take a walk or read a book instead of taking a cigarette break.
• When you can, avoid places, people and situations associated with smoking. Hang out with non-smokers or go to places that don't allow smoking, such as the movies, museums, shops or libraries.
• Don't substitute food or sugar-based products for cigarettes. Eat low-calorie, healthful foods (such as carrot or celery sticks, sugar-free hard candies) or chew gum when the urge to smoke strikes so you can avoid weight gain.
• Drink plenty of fluids, but limit alcoholic and caffeinated beverages. They can trigger urges to smoke.
• Remind yourself you are a nonsmoker. Nonsmokers don't smoke.
• Exercise. Exercising will help you relax.
• Get support for quitting. Tell others about your milestones with pride.
  
  

How will I feel when I quit?

• You may crave cigarettes, be irritable, feel very hungry, cough often, get headaches or have difficulty concentrating. These symptoms of withdrawal occur because your body is used to nicotine, the active addicting agent within cigarettes.
• When withdrawal symptoms occur within the first two weeks after quitting, stay in control. Think about your reasons for quitting. Remind yourself that these are signs that your body is healing and getting used to being without cigarettes.
• The withdrawal symptoms are only temporary. They are strongest when you first quit but will go away within 10 to 14 days. Remember that withdrawal symptoms are easier to treat than the major diseases that smoking can cause.
• You may still have the desire to smoke, since there are many strong associations with smoking. People may associate smoking with specific situations, with a variety of emotions or with certain people in their lives. The best way to overcome these associations is to experience them without smoking.
  

A relapse is not a reason to lose hope
If you smoke again (called a relapse) do not lose hope. Seventy-five percent of those who quit relapse. Most smokers quit three times before they are successful. If you relapse, don't give up! Review the reasons why you wanted to become a nonsmoker. Plan ahead and think about what you will do next time you get the urge to smoke.