Smoking: A heart disease risk factor you can control

There's no good way to say this. Heart disease is the leading killer of smokers in the United States.

Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack.

Smoking seems to be even more detrimental if you have other risk factors for heart disease, such as

obesity
family history
diabetes
inactive lifestyle
high blood pressure
high cholesterol

For example, a person with diabetes who smokes has a higher risk for developing heart disease than a diabetic person who does not smoke.

Successful quitting

If you have a family history of heart disease, nothing can change that. But smoking is a risk factor you can do something about.

For some people, quitting smoking is more difficult than starting an exercise program or changing how they eat. To be successful, you'll need a specific plan of action.

Identify your reasons for quitting. Pretty much everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health, and that’s a great reason to stop. But to make quitting meaningful for you, you need some reasons that are specific to your life. Maybe you have a hacking cough that’s a little bit embarrassing when you can’t control it around other people. Maybe you exercise now, but have always wondered whether exercising might be more enjoyable if you didn’t smoke. Or maybe your children or spouse have been hoping that you’ll stop, and you know how proud of yourself you’ll feel when you can tell them that you’ve finally decided to quit.

Whatever your reasons are, write them down on a piece of paper, and look at them each day to keep yourself motivated. And remember, no reason is stupid. Even if you’re just sick of cleaning out ashtrays, write it down. Whatever gets you going on this path is a good thing.

Ask your doctor for help and advice. Studies have shown that patients whose physicians give them advice about quitting smoking have a higher success rate than those who quit without their doctor’s help. You and your doctor can explore together the different methods of quitting. Your doctor may have helped other patients to quit, and his or her experience can be invaluable to you. You may also want to ask a nurse practitioner for advice about quitting. These professionals can have a positive impact on your success.

Get support from the people around you. Tell your family and friends you’re quitting. There are lots of reasons why this can help you.

The people who care about you can be supportive. They’ll know not to offer you a cigarette, for example, or maybe they’ll ask you now and then how it’s going. Little things like this can be a big help.
Telling those you know puts a little bit of pressure on yourself. If you quit in secret, it’s easier to light up again.
Your friends will understand it if you’re irritable at times. This is important! Sometimes quitting smoking can make you feel nervous and edgy. If your friends know where you’re coming from, they’ll be more understanding.

Improving your quality of life

Breathing easier, having more stamina and lowering risk factors for disease are obvious benefits of quitting. But don’t underestimate the pleasure of smelling the freshness of outdoors more intensely and enjoying meals more.

For instance, Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa started smoking when he was 7 years old. After he quit smoking in his late 30s, he was happy to discover that there were different flavors in life. He says, "A steak did not taste the same as a plate of chick peas."