Cigarette smoking greatly increases the risk of fatal and nonfatal heart attacks in both men and women. It also increases the risk of a second heart attack among survivors. Women who smoke and use oral contraceptives have an even greater risk than smoking alone.
The good news is that quitting smoking greatly reduces the risk of heart attack. One year after quitting, the risk drop to about one-half that of current smokers and gradually returns to normal in persons without heart disease. Even among persons with heart disease, the risk also drops sharply one year after quitting smoking and it continues to decline over time but the risk does not return to normal.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved five medications to help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke. They are:
– Bupropion SR – available by prescription
– Nicotine gum – available over-the-counter
– Nicotine inhaler – available by prescription
– Nicotine nasal spray – available by prescription
– Nicotine patch – available by prescription and over-the-counter