Smoking and CHD
If you have a heart condition stopping smoking is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.
Smoking:
- makes the smooth lining of blood vessels rough. This encourages the build up of fatty material that blocks and narrows the arteries (atherosclerosis).
- makes your blood stickier increasing the chances of blood clots forming
- increases blood pressure and speeds up the heart
The British Heart Foundation website has information about how smoking damages your heart health. You can also watch videos on the benefits of quitting. Their leaflet, 'Understanding Smoking, explains how smoking increases your risk of heart and circulatory disease.
You’re 4 times more likely to stop smoking if you get support from a specialist stop smoking service. Visit our stopping smoking webpages for more information and advice.