Smoking and the risk of stroke - Stroke Association

1 Call the Stroke Helpline: 0303 3033 100. or email: Smoking and the risk of Stroke This guide looks at how stopping Smoking can reduce your risk of a Stroke , and offers tips and advice about quitting. What are the risks ? Cigarette smoke can affect your body's cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a vital Smoking makes you twice as likely to die if substance in your body, but if there is too you have a Stroke , and the more you smoke, much in your blood it can cause heart the greater your risk of Stroke . If you smoke disease and Stroke . Smoking reduces the 20 cigarettes a day, you are six times more levels of good' cholesterol (also called HDL). likely to have a Stroke compared to a non- in your blood stream and increases levels of smoker.

2 Tobacco smoke has many different bad' cholesterol (also called LDL). Having effects on the body including thickening the low levels of good' cholesterol in your body blood, increasing the risk of blood clots and increases your risk of Stroke . narrowing the arteries, as well as restricting oxygen in the blood. When you inhale cigarette smoke, carbon monoxide and nicotine enter your The impact of Smoking bloodstream. The carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood, and the Just under 20% (one in six) adults in the UK nicotine makes your heart beat faster and are smokers. Around 96,000 people in the raises your blood pressure. This increases UK die every year from Smoking -related your risk of a Stroke . Smoking can also illnesses.

3 These include Stroke , heart disease trigger an episode of atrial fibrillation, a heart and cancers. condition that is a risk factor for Stroke . How does Smoking cause The chemicals in smoke also make your Stroke ? platelets, a type of blood cell, more likely to stick together. This increases the chance of a Tobacco smoke contains over 7,000 toxic clot forming. chemicals, including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, arsenic and cyanide. These These factors increase smokers' risk of chemicals are transferred from your lungs developing atherosclerosis, a condition into your blood stream, changing and where arteries become narrowed and damaging cells all around your body. The harden. This reduces the blood flow and changes that these chemicals cause can makes blood clots more likely to form.

4 If a increase your risk of Stroke . clot occurs in an artery leading to the brain, it can cause a Stroke when it blocks the For more information visit 1. Smoking and the risk of Stroke blood supply to part of the brain. This type After one year your risk of a heart attack is of Stroke is known as an ischaemic Stroke . half that of a smoker. Smoking nearly doubles your risk of having an ischaemic Stroke . After 10 years your chances of developing lung cancer fall to half that of a smoker. Smokers are also more likely to develop high blood pressure, which is a major risk After up to 15 years your risk of having a factor for Stroke . Smoking is particularly Stroke is around the same as someone who dangerous for people who already have has never smoked.

5 High blood pressure, because high blood pressure contributes to damage to the Passive Smoking arteries. If you are a smoker with high blood pressure, your arteries will narrow at a Breathing in someone else's smoke is much faster rate, significantly increasing hazardous. Children are particularly your risk of Stroke . vulnerable to passive Smoking as they have less well-developed airways, lungs and Why should I stop Smoking ? immune systems. Children of smokers are more likely to develop respiratory problems Quitting Smoking will reduce your risk of a and babies are at greater risk of cot death. By Stroke and reduce your risk of other health stopping, you are greatly reducing the risks problems. you are posing to your family, friends and people around you.

6 If you have had a Stroke , you'll be advised to stop Smoking to reduce your risk of another Save money Stroke . On average people save around 250. The benefits start right away a month by giving up Smoking . You might be surprised by how much you Within eight hours, your oxygen levels can save. Try the NHS Smokefree return to normal and carbon monoxide and online calculator to work out how much nicotine levels reduce by more than half. better off you could be if you quit: 48 hours later your ability to taste and smell improves. Help to stop Smoking Within 72 hours breathing becomes easier If you want to stop Smoking , more help is and your energy levels go up. available than ever before. In England and Wales this includes one-to-one and group After 2 12 weeks your circulation improves.

7 Support with trained advisors at your local NHS Stop Smoking Service (including Between three and nine months, any prescriptions for medicines and patches to coughing and wheezing eases and your lung help with withdrawal symptoms), support via function improves by up to 10%. social media, an email support programme, a quitting app and a telephone helpline. All this 2 Call the Stroke Helpline on 0303 3033 100. Smoking and the risk of Stroke support is available free from the NHS. See Medication and stop- Smoking NHS Smokefree in Other sources of help and aids information for contact details. There are several different types of medicine NHS services in Scotland, Wales and and stop- Smoking aids that can help you Northern Ireland also offer help with stop Smoking : stopping Smoking .

8 Smoking advisors offer local one-to-one or group support, and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). telephone and online support services and including patches, gum, lozenges, apps are also available. microtabs, inhalators and nasal sprays Because nicotine is so addictive, and the Champix tablets (varenicline). Smoking habit becomes so automatic, many people need support to help them stop Zyban tablets (bupropion). Smoking . Research shows that you are four times more likely to succeed at stopping if e-cigarettes you have support. It is normal for people to make more than one attempt before they other stop- Smoking techniques. stop Smoking and quit for good, so don't be disheartened if you have tried to quit before Speak to your doctor or the advisor at your and didn't manage it at that time.

9 Local Stop Smoking Service about which type of treatment is most suitable for you. Stopping Smoking can result in a number of withdrawal symptoms such as cravings, Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). restlessness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbance or an NRT steadily releases nicotine into your increased appetite. These symptoms are blood stream without you having to inhale temporary and usually disappear within a cigarette smoke. Using NRT helps to relieve few weeks. Smoking withdrawal symptoms, such as cravings, restlessness and irritability. After Many people are concerned about gaining setting a target stop date, you can start on weight if they give up Smoking . Although your chosen NRT. many people do put on some weight after giving up, it's possible to avoid this.

10 If you There is a wide range of NRT products combat your cravings using medications available. They are available on prescription or e-cigarettes, it can help you avoid extra from an NHS Stop Smoking Service. You snacking. Keep healthy snacks around like can also buy them over the counter from a nuts, fresh fruit and vegetable sticks. Doing pharmacy or supermarket. some exercise can also help by reducing cravings and burning calories. Ask your local NHS Stop Smoking Service for advice and speak to your GP if you're very concerned about your weight. For more information visit 3. Smoking and the risk of Stroke Types of nicotine replacement therapy Microtabs are very small tablets that (NRT) dissolve under your tongue and should not Patches, which deliver a continuous supply be chewed.