Smoking will break your heart

Today is World No Tobacco Day and this year, the campaign focuses on the impact of tobacco on the cardiovascular system.

Smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack compared with people who have never smoked.

How smoking affects your heart

Smoking increases your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke.

• Smoking damages the lining of your arteries, leading to a build up of fatty material which narrows the artery. This causes angina, a heart attack or a stroke. 
• The carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood, meaning your heart has to pump harder just to supply the body with the oxygen it needs. 
• Nicotine in cigarettes makes your body produce unwanted andrenaline, which makes your heart beat faster and raises your blood pressure, putting extra strain on your heart. 
• Your blood is more likely to clot, which increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. 

Second-hand smoke

When non-smokers breathe in second-hand smoke - also known as passive smoking - it can be extremely harmful.

According to an American study, second-hand smoke increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 25-30%. Studies undertaken by the World Health Organisation (WHO) found that heart disease is the largest cause of death associated with second-hand smoking; around 55% of the 890,000 worldwide deaths caused by second-hand smoke are attributed to the disease. 

Stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do for your heart health, and for those around you.

The good news is that the risk to your heart health decreases significantly soon after you quit. 

By quitting you’ll be improving your own health by dramatically reducing your risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and a variety of cancers. 

Yorkshire Smokefree can help you and your heart. We've helped thousands of people quit so far and you could be next. Start your quit journey today by calling us on 0800 612 0011 (free from landlines) or 0330 660 1166 (free from most mobiles). 

You can find out more about the World No Tobacco Day campaign by visiting the WHO website.