Stop Smoking
Stopping smoking is one thing everyone who smokes can do for their health, whether or not they have heart failure. Stopping can decrease the stress on your heart and may improve your heart failure symptoms.
How smoking affects your heart
- Damages blood vessels
- Reduces amount of oxygen in the blood
- Makes your heart beat faster
- Can lead to clumping or stickiness in blood vessels
Nobody said stopping is easy
Quitting smoking can be a difficult undertaking, no matter how old you are. Fortunately there are many ways you can get help if you feel you can't stop on your own.
Ask your doctor about aids like nicotine gum and patches.
Tips to help you stop smoking
- Go places where smoking isn't allowed, and spend less time around people who smoke.
- Avoid situations that tempt you to smoke, like drinking coffee or alcohol.
- Find a substitute to reach for instead of a cigarette-something low in calories.
- Keep in mind that you'll probably feel better if you stop smoking.
- Ask your friends and family for their support, and if they smoke, ask them to join you in stopping.
- Remember, withdrawal symptoms won't last forever and are usually strongest right after you stop.
- Do more activities where you can't smoke.
Keep in mind many smokers stop several times before they are successful. Don't give up!