Quitting smoking is easy, I have done it 100 times, Mark Twain once said. True to his words, it’s not a habit that you can say goodbye to overnight, regardless of your awareness of its perils. The habit, which wreaks havoc on your lungs, can also become a major risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases. In a recent report, the World Health Organisation said that the use of tobacco in India is around 38.3% and the country is aiming to reduce it further in the coming years. Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, HOD, Department of Cardiology at Bengaluru’s Kauvery Hospital, explains how smoking affects our cardiac health and its various other consequences.
Smoking and heart health
Dr Deepak says hospitals see a whole gamut of cardiovascular diseases due to smoking. “Heart attacks, especially among young smokers, are worrisome. Smoking also leads to peripheral vascular disease and gangrene and limb amputations,” he says. Stroke resulting in paralysis is another important consequence of smoking, according to him. “When coupled with other risk factors like diabetes and high blood pressure, the result is even more catastrophic,” he says. He offers a few tips on how to quit smoking:
1. Fix a date to quit smoking in the next 6 to 8 weeks
2. Start tapering every day and stop on the fixed date.
3. If you fail, try again. It may take an average of 3 to 4 attempts to quit.
4. Form a peer group and try to quit together. It can help.
5. If required, you can also get help from psychiatrists to quit smoking. At times, the underlying stress leading to the habit also needs to be addressed.
6. Nicotine gums and patches do help in trying to quit.
7. Improve your diet and start exercising regularly to improve overall health.
8. Taper and cut down on alcohol especially if you have the habit of smoking while drinking.
“You can also try to reduce the number of cigarettes gradually. Switching to a lighter brand with reduced levels of nicotine can also go a long way,” Dr Deepak adds.
