Smoking Cessation
Smoking and Your Health
How does smoking affect your orthopedic condition?
- Reduces blood flow which can delay and/or impair the quality of bone repair
- Reduces formation of osteoblasts, which are the cells that form bone
- Reduces bone density, making bones more brittle
- Reduces blood flow to the skin
- Reduces the white blood cells that help fight infection
What does that mean in regards to orthopedic surgery?
- Smokers are six times more likely to develop a wound infection following surgery
- Smokers have a 37% greater chance of the bone not healing (this is called a non-union)
- Smokers are 3.7 times more likely to develop an infection in the bone (this is called osteomyelitis)
What are other reasons to quit?
- Reduce your risk of cancer, lung disease, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, emphysema, and other smoking-related diseases
- Help prevent pneumonia and bronchitis
- Stop smoking-related headaches and stomach problems
- Enjoy better overall health
- Reduce your family's risk of health problems caused by second-hand smoke
- Increase your energy level
- Improve your sense of taste and smell
- Have a lot more spending money
When you quit...
After less than 30 minutes:
- Your pulse and blood pressure return to normal
- The temperature of your hands and feet return to normal
After 8-24 hours:
- Your blood's oxygen level returns to normal
- Carbon monoxide levels in your blood drop to normal
- Your risk of heart attack decreases
After 48-72 hours:
- Your sense of smell and taste increases
- Your nerve endings begin to re-grow
- Your breathing becomes easier
After 2 weeks to 3 months:
- Your lungs work up to 30% better
- Your circulation improves and walking is easier
One year after quitting:
- Your risk of having a heart attack drops by 50%
10 years after quitting:
- Your risk of dying from lung cancer becomes about equal to that of a non-smoker
Take Action: