Women smokers can lower their risk of heart disease
by quitting the habit
Lifestyle changes and strong resolve to quit are
key
New
Delhi, 23 August 2017: As per WHO estimates, 3 million people in
industrialized countries will have died due to tobacco use by 2030, and an
additional 7 million people in developing countries will meet the same
fate.
Smoking is still the leading preventable cause of
death. Not only does tobacco smoke cause lung cancer, it is also
implicated in heart disease, other cancers and respiratory diseases. As per the
IMA, women who quit smoking have a 21% lower risk of dying from coronary heart
disease within five years of
quitting their last cigarette.
Women
who are current smokers have almost triple their risk of overall death compared
with non-smoker women. Current smokers also have a 63% percent increased risk
for colon cancer compared with never-smokers, while former smokers have a 23%
increased risk. The risks of dying from other conditions also decline after
quitting, although the time frame varies depending on the disease.
Speaking
about this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr K K
Aggarwal, National President Indian Medical Association (IMA) and President
Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Dr RN Tandon – Honorary Secretary
General IMA in a joint statement, said, "It’s never too
early to stop, and it’s never too late to stop. Women who started smoking
earlier in life are at a higher risk for overall mortality, of dying from
respiratory disease and from any smoking–related disease. However, a smoker’s
overall risk of dying returns to the level of a never-smoker 20 years after
quitting. Women metabolize nicotine more quickly than men and cigarette smoke
appears to be more toxic for women. Women's coronary arteries are typically
smaller than men's. Smaller blood clots can block the vessels and trigger a
heart attack.”
Most
of the excess risk of dying from coronary heart disease vanishes within five years of quitting. For chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), the return to normal takes 20 years, although there
is an 18% reduction in the risk of death is seen within 5 to 10 years after
quitting. And the risk for lung cancer does not return to normal for 30 years
after quitting, although there is a 21% reduction in risk within the first five
years.
Adding
further, Dr Aggarwal, said, “Nicotine replacement therapies may not
be as effective in women as in men. This is because their menstrual cycle
affects tobacco withdrawal symptoms and the results of anti smoking medications
can be inconsistent. However, women should not wait until the development of a
heart disease to quit this habit. Making certain lifestyle changes along with
quitting smoking can help them lead a longer and healthier life.”
The
following tips can help quit the smoking habit.
· Identify the trigger
situation, which makes you smoke. Have a plan in place to avoid these or get
through them alternatively.
· Chew on sugarless gum or
hard candy, or munch raw carrots, celery, nuts or sunflower seeds instead of
tobacco.
· Get physically active. Short bursts of physical
activity such as running up and down the stairs a few times can make a tobacco
craving go away.
· Eat a healthy diet rich in whole grains,
fruits and vegetables.
·
Keep
yourself busy.
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