Any smoking, even second hand smoke or occasional smoking, can cause changes to your heart and blood vessels. Smoking can raise your heart rate, make your blood vessels contract, and make your blood thicker. This means your heart has to work harder so Quitting smoking is one of the best things you CAN do for a healthy heart….one year after you quit, your risk of heart attack is reduced to half that of a smoker!
No matter how much or how long you've smoked, quitting will benefit you and it’s important to quit if you already have heart disease. Join our ongoing HSE staff 28 day quit challenge - we offer specialist advice for quitting, along with free nicotine replacement therapy. Ring Quit Midwest on 065 6865841 or email quit.midwest@hse.ie;
For more information on smoking and heart health, click on this link to the Irish Heart Foundation website.