Smoking and heart health
What smoking does
Smoking narrows vessels, makes the blood more prone to clotting and speeds up plaque growth. This sharply raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The benefits of quitting
A year after quitting, the risk of heart attack falls noticeably. Over the years the risk approaches that of someone who never smoked.
Support
Quitting is hard but possible. Your doctor can tell you about medicines and behavioural methods that help.
This is general patient education, not individual medical advice. Do not stop or change medicines yourself. Fast or make other preparations only when instructed by your care team.
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