How Smoking and Quitting Affects Your Vascular Health

Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. It causes cancer, heart attacks, stroke, and types of vascular disease.

Nicotine, one of the chemicals found in cigarettes, is not only highly addictive but also increases your heart rate 20 beats per minute with every cigarette. It raises blood pressure and makes arteries all over the body become smaller. This makes it harder for your heart to pump blood through your arteries, and it causes your body to release its stores of fat and cholesterol into the blood.

Smoking increases your risk of life-threatening vascular diseases such as peripheral artery disease (PAD), abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), and carotid artery disease (CAD). These conditions can be life- and limb-threatening, and quitting smoking can provide immediate and long-term benefits. Here’s how:

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)

  • Smoking is a primary cause of PAD. It causes a buildup of plaque and narrows the arteries that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles. This can lead to leg pain when walking, gangrene, and in severe cases, amputation.
  • By quitting smoking, you can improve blood flow, reduce the risk of complications, and improve your chances of successful treatment.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA)

  • Smoking increases your risk of developing an AAA up to 5 times. It can also make your aneurysm grow faster and be more likely to burst, which can be fatal.
  • Quitting smoking makes it less likely that you will develop an AAA and decrease the chance of it rupturing.

Carotid Artery Disease (CAD)

  • Smoking increases your risk of stroke because it forms plaque that can block the carotid artery, which is the blood vessel that goes to your brain.
  • The best thing you can do to reduce your risk of CAD and stroke is quit smoking. Once you quit smoking, the amount of carotid plaque buildup begins to slow.

Getting Started

The most important decision in whether to stop smoking is the decision to quit. There is no right way to quit. You may have to try different methods before you find the one that works for you. For most people, it takes trying to quit at least 6 times before they are finally successful. By doing so, you are taking one of the biggest steps to improve your health and overall quality of life.

If you're ready to quit, taking small steps can make a big difference. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

  • Set a Quit Date: Choose a day in the near future to stop smoking. Mark it on your calendar and start preparing.
  • Create a Support System: Chances of success increase with a strong support system. Encourage others ‘commit to quit’ with you. Create a non-smoking environment around your work and home if possible.
  • Counseling and Support Groups: Connecting with others who are also trying to quit can give you motivation and guidance.
  • Set No-Smoking rules: Making strict no-smoking rules in your house and your car increases your chances of quitting and protects you from others who continue to smoke. Please see link below under “Helpful Society and Organization Websites” for information on second hand smoke.
  • Vaping and Smokeless Tobacco: Vaping, dipping, snuff, and chewing tobacco all have known health risks and are NOT a healthy alternative to smoking.

It’s never too late to quit. Health benefits are found even for those with advanced heart or lung disease. The earlier you quit, the better you’ll feel.

What Happens When You Quit?

The benefits of stopping smoking are clear and can start happening right away:

  • Within hours: Carbon monoxide levels begin to disappear and oxygen levels in your blood begin to improve.
  • Within one week: Your sense of taste and smell begin to return
  • One Year: Your risk of having a heart attack is dramatically reduced.
  • Long term: Your risk of serious lung disease is low after 10 years. It also helps prevent and reduces the risk of complications from vascular diseases like PAD, AAA, and CAD.

How Much Money Will You Save?

Smoking is expensive. The table below can show you how much money you can save if you quit smoking. Based on an average of $8.00/Pack

Packs Per Day You Smoke, You Spend Per Day, You Spend Per Month, You Spend Per Year

Packs Per Day You Smoke You Spend Per Day You Spend Per Month You Spend Per Year
1 $6 $180 $2,190
2 $12 $360 $4,380
3 $18 $540 $6,570

Resources for You

Local

  • Check with your vascular surgeon. Many hospitals/health care centers now provide services to help quit smoking with Tobacco Treatment Specialists on site.
  • Support groups may also be available with others attempting to quit. They can provide helpful strategies to manage your cravings for a cigarette.

State

  • Each state provides a quit smoking program with information on maintaining abstinence from tobacco. Smoking cessation “coaches” can also provide over the phone support.
  • 1-800-QUITNOW will connect you to begin the program which is free of charge.
  • Nicotine patches, gum and lozenges can also be supplied free of charge with program participation in most states.

Helpful Society and Organization Websites