Tips for Quitting Smoking (Cardiovascular)

Quitting smoking is a gift to yourself, one of the best things you can do to keep your heart disease from getting worse. Smoking reduces oxygen flow to your heart, speeds the buildup of plaque, and increases your risk for heart attack. Quitting helps reduce smoking's harmful effects. You may have tried to quit before, but don't give up. Try again. Many smokers try four or five times before they succeed.

You'll have the best chance of success if you join a stop-smoking group and have the support of family and friends.

Line Up Help

• Ask for the support of your family and friends.

• Join a quit-smoking class

• Ask your doctor about nicotine replacement products and prescription medications that can help you quit.

Set a Quit Date

• Choose a date within the next 2-4 weeks.

• After picking a day, mark it in bold letters on a calendar.

Set Limits

• Limit where you can smoke. Pick one room or a porch, and smoke only in that place.

• Make smoking outdoors a house rule. Other smokers won't tempt you as much.

• Hang a list of  "quit benefits" in the spot where you smoke. Put one on the refrigerator and one on your car dashboard.