24 hours smoke-free lowers heart attack risk

After 24 hours of abstinence the heart attack risk decreases

22.08.2011

The risk of having a heart attack decreases significantly after a 24 hour smoke stop. The body responds in a very short time to the decrease in the supply of harmful tobacco substances. Those who persevere continuously reduce risks for cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Nicotine is not only a harmful substance, but makes people highly dependent. Most people who want to quit smoking are struggling with severe physical and mental withdrawal symptoms. Those who regularly resort to smuggling dies on average seven years earlier than non-smokers. „Not only do smokers die earlier, they also often spend more of their already shorter lives in a state of chronic illness and long-term care“explained the head of the Medical Preventive Center at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf. Every year, around 100,000 people die as a result of tobacco use. In other words, this means that every day about 300 people die. The number of deaths caused by smoking is higher than, for example, AIDS, alcohol or traffic accidents.

Already after 24 hours the heart attack risk is measurably lower“. Those who live abstinently for 12 months already reduce their risk by 50 percent according to some studies. Every year, the risk of getting lung cancer or other serious illness - caused by smoking - is reduced, the expert adds.

Many former smokers often become aware of the consequences of their actions only when they stop consuming. After only a few days and weeks, the new nonsmokers can breathe better, feel more resilient and physically fit, says the preventive physician. Also, the lump in the throat and the frequently occurring smoker's cough disappears. The partner and the children in the household will be grateful. Children no longer needing passive smoking suffer less from infectious diseases and are less susceptible to chronic conditions such as asthma.

About two-thirds of the new non-smokers have coped with their addiction by giving up immediately. One-third are looking for counseling, doctors or alternative practitioners to be actively supported. The non-smoking hypnosis therapy was effective. The call is more scientific than many initially think. In an evidence-based „Revenstorf's study“ it could be proven that the success rate after one year by means of hypnosis was at least 48.1 percent. In the control group, the abstinence rate was only 22.6 percent. (Sb)

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Smoking weakens cancer protective genes
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Picture: Martin Büdenbender