The reasons to quit smoking keep adding up

Still smoking despite all the warnings? Then maybe this will finally be the reason you put down the pack: complications following surgery.

According to researchers from the Mayo Clinic, former and current smokers who have operations have higher healthcare costs for a year afterward compared to people who never smoked. They found that smoking-related complications could add up to $17 billion in direct medical costs in the United States.

Smokers will find it harder to breathe during and after surgery, and the risk of blood clots and infection is higher. The risk of infection also rises, and healing is slower. Lastly, certain drugs may break down differently in a smoker’s body, further impeding recovery.

These risks are due to the nicotine in cigarette smoke, which increases your heart rate and blood pressure. That makes your heart work harder, so it needs more oxygen — which it’s not getting because your breathing is impaired by the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke. Other chemicals in cigarette smoke make your blood thicker and more likely to clot.

If you stop smoking eight weeks before surgery you can reduce these risks. Within 24 hours, the nicotine and carbon monoxide from cigarettes will be mostly gone from your body. If you’re ready to kick the habit, ask your doctor about medication, as well as smoking cessation support groups. You can also get lots of good advice at www.smokefree.gov.