How Smoking Affects a Woman's Heart

Quitting now will lower your risk for heart disease!

Let’s get down to facts: Heart disease is the number-one killer of women in the United States, and you are four times more likely to die from it if you smoke.

“Woman smokers typically have heart attacks 19 years earlier than women who’ve never smoked,” says cardiologist Deborah Sundlof, D.O., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “Sadly, while overall smoking rates have declined in recent years, the fastest growing group of smokers is teenage girls.”

Smoking harms the body in many ways that lead to heart disease. It lowers HDL (good) cholesterol, raises blood pressure and speeds athero sclerosis, the buildup of plaque in the arteries. Your risk is even greater if you take birth control pills. Smoking also leads to earlier menopause, when women lose the natural protection estrogen gives their hearts.

“Living a healthy, tobacco-free lifestyle is the best thing you can do for your heart,” says Sundlof’s colleague, gynecologist Karen Sciascia, D.O.

Ready to quit? Pay attention to diet and exercise so you won’t gain weight and feel stressed. “Gaining weight and managing stress are the greatest barriers to quitting for women,” says health educator Meredith Casey of the Coalition for a Smoke-Free Valley. “Start an exercise program, eat low-fat meals and healthy snacks, and drink water to maintain a healthy weight and decrease the strain on your heart. Relaxation techniques like yoga and massage also help.”

Since women tend to have strong social connections, Casey suggests pairing up with a buddy while quitting. “Walking together or joining a weight management program provides support and can strengthen your friendship,” she says. “Most importantly, start now. The health benefits begin immediately.”

Published from Healthy You Magazine May-June 2007

ARTICLE TOOLS: