Twice the cardiac trouble for smokers

The best way smokers can reduce their risk of heart diseases and stay heart strong is to quit smoking as soon as possible.

For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)

HYDERABAD: The best way smokers can reduce their risk of heart diseases and stay heart strong  is to quit smoking as soon as possible. Even extremely light smoking — as little as one cigarette a day — can increase a person’s risk of heart attack and stroke and should be avoided. If you’re a heavy smoker with a 20-pack-a-year smoking history but decide to quit now, you can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 39 per cent within five years. Just 20 minutes after you quit smoking, your heart rate drops. And as you quit smoking completely the cardiovascular system begins to heal relatively quickly,” says Dr.Sridhar Kasturi, Interventional Cardiologist, Hyderabad.

He added, “Since diabetes is also a risk factor for heart disease, you definitely don’t want the extra risk that smoking brings. So, in order to minimize your chances of developing diabetic complications and heart diseases, diabetics should quit smoking. Also,keeping blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other risk factors under check."

Quick facts

• Daily cigarette smoking in India is about 6 per cent and prevalence of smoking increases with age.
• In total, 63 per cent of cigarette smokers smoke every day. 
• About 16 per cent of all heart disease deaths in India. Studies have also established a significant association of cigarette smoking with coronary heart disease and stroke.
• Cigarette smoking is associated with a two to four-fold increased risk of heart-related problems, a greater than 70 per cent excess rate of death from heart disease. Not only this, smokers have an elevated risk of sudden death.