Arrhythmias (Heart Rhythm Disturbances) and Smoking Cessation

Smoking can contribute to the development of an arrhythmia. Smoking damages your blood vessels, reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood, and forces your heart to work harder. Quitting smoking can improve your health and sense of well-being.

Quitting smoking can help prevent and treat some arrhythmias. It can also help prevent heart disease and heart attacks, which are some of the primary reasons why some people develop arrhythmias.

Read more details about Smoking Cessation.

There are a number of ways to quit smoking. For more information and tips, see the Smoking Cessation article.

You don't have to quit alone. In fact, quitting with a friend or loved one can increase both of your chances for success.

A number of different health professionals may have different methods and products that can support you in quitting smoking.

• MD
• Naturopathic doctor
• Acupuncturist
• Herbalist
• Nutritionist
• Health coach

Using behavior change to quit smoking should have few or no side effects, aside from the symptoms of withdrawal. Because smoking affects metabolism and may be a replacement for eating, some people do find that they gain weight when they quit. Make sure that you are eating well and exercising to help bring your body back to a healthy balance.

On the other hand, smoking cessation drugs and other drugs used to help people quit smoking all have potential risks and side effects. This is true for over-the-counter as well as prescription products. For instance, smoking and using nicotine replacement products can be dangerous because nicotine can build up to toxic levels.

See individual products for specific information on side effects, warnings, and potential interactions.

American Lung Association website. Available at: http://www.lungusa.org/. Accessed July 15, 2008.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/. Accessed July 15, 2008.

National Cancer Institute website. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/. Accessed July 15, 2008.

3/25/2008 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php : Parkes G, Greenhalgh T, Griffin M, Dent R. Effect on smoking quit rate of telling patients their lung age: the Step2quit randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2008;336:598-600.

7/6/2009 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php : Myung SK, McDonnell DD, Kazinets G, Seo HG, Moskowitz JM. Effects of Web- and computer-based smoking cessation programs: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169:929-937.