Valeofyorkccg.nhs.uk

Why you should stop
smoking before your
operation
We all know that smoking affects our long term health.
Smoking also greatly increases the risk of complications You can reduce this risk if you stop smoking as early as You are strongly advised to use this opportunity to stop smoking for good.
Why you should
stop smoking
Does stopping smoking before
before your operation
an operation do any good?
There is good evidence that stopping smoking before your operation: • Reduces lung, heart and infectious complications.
• Reduces bone healing time for fracture repair after fracture.
• Reduces length of stay in hospital.
• Reduces anaesthesia related complications.
• Decreases wound healing time. The wound cannot heal as effectively
if you smoke, as not only is there a reduced blood flow, but a lower your withdrawal symptoms. As wellas NRT, there are other products • Reduces breathing problems. (If you smoke you have a one in three
risk of post operative breathing problems. This can be reduced to one in ten if you stop smoking eight weeks before the operation.) buy electronic cigarettes from manyhigh street retailers or pharmacies.
By stopping
What FREE NHS help is available?
smoking you can
get back to normal life
There are a range of different methods
to help you become smokefree:
, saving money,
being active with your
family and have better
1 Your GP Practice may have a registered Stop Smoking Advisor
who can help you to stop smoking. Ask for further information health long into
the futur
2 Contact your local NHS North Yorkshire Stop Smoking
Service 0300 303 1603 for free group or one-to-one help
and advice from trained experts. Let them know that you are
going to have an operation so they can give you priority.
If you would like this document
3 Ask your local Pharmacist if they have a trained Stop Smoking
in a different format, for
Advisor you can see for free one-to-one help and support.
example large print, audio
4 The NHS Smoking Helpline and website are always there
cassette/CD, Braille or in
to give free advice, help and support. Call 0800 169 0 169
another language, please
or for online help and support visit www.smokefree.nhs.uk
contact 01904 555 870
The health benefits of quitting smoking start almost immediately
and are evidence based.
Reduction in blood pressure, pulse rate, and normalisation of temperature of hands and feet Nicotine levels in blood have fallen by over 90%.
12-24 hrs
Normalisation of oxygen (12hrs) and carbon monoxide levels (24 hrs) in the blood.
Sense of smell and taste is noticeably improved.
Now 100% nicotine-free. Improvement in breathing.
2 weeks to Risk of heart attack begins to fall and lungs begin to improve.
3 months
3 weeks to Decrease in respiratory symptoms (cough and breathlessness).
3 months
Excess risk of heart attack and stroke decreased to less than half that of a smoker.
Heart attack and Stroke risk has declined to that of a non-smoker Risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer decreases to between 30% and 50% of that for a continuing smoker. Risk of death from lung cancer has declined by almost half for an averagesmoker (one pack per day).
Risk of pancreatic cancer has declined to that of a non-smoker, while risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and oesophagus has also declined. Risk of developing diabetes is now similar to that of a never smoker.
Risk of smoking-induced tooth loss has declined to that of a non- smoker.
Risk of heart attacks is now that of a person who has never smoked.
Excess risk of death from all smoking related causes, including lung disease and cancer, has now reduced to that of a never smoker. Risk of pancreatic cancer reduced to that of a never-smoker Patients with Long-Term Conditions
For diabetic patients stopping smoking
For COPD patients stopping smoking
• Decreases the risk of developing heart disease • Slows down the progression of disease and may • Slows the progression of renal disease lead to a return in normal levels of FEV1 decline.
For cancer patients stopping smoking
• Reduces exacerbation, and may extend their life • Improves the outcomes for surgery for lung cancer as well as increasing the overall survival and For cardiovascular patients stopping smoking
decreasing recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer.
• Decreasing the risk of death due to all causes after • Increases responsiveness to radiotherapy for head an MI by 36% and by 21% in patients with heart and neck cancers, and increases survival.
• Reduces the risk of recurrences and improves • Decreases re-hospitalisation and morality following For asthma patients stopping smoking
• Decreases the risk of re-stenosis after angioplasty • Improves lung function, reduces symptoms, Other benefits of stopping smoking include
medication use and improves quality of life.
• Protecting the health of family and contacts by • Improves the efficacy of corticosteroids as reducing their exposure to second-hand smoke.
• Reduce risk in children from bronchitis, pneumonia, • Decreases hospital admissions and near fatal asthma attacks, meningitis and ear infections.
• Currently, a 20-a-day smoker of a premium
cigarette brand will spend about £2,600 a
year on cigarettes

Source: http://www.valeofyorkccg.nhs.uk/data/uploads/current-work/nhs-vale-of-york-ccg-stop-before-your-op-leaflet.pdf