Your Guide to a Smoke
Free Future
If you smoke, or if you have quit
within the past 2 months, then
ask for our detailed handout
which provides information on
how to begin and maintain a
smoke-free lifestyle.
Ask for an appointment today.
Our heart health team is eager
to meet with you, so that you
can become ready and able to
enjoy a smoke-free life.
Printed with permission of the Canadian
Council for Tobacco Control
Your Guide to a Smoke Free Future
61
Benefits of Quitting
It’s not all gloom and doom! Quitting smoking lowers many health risks very quickly. If you quit, you
may see and feel many positive things:
Physical
1. you will feel free of the contol of an additive product
2. your risk of concer and heart disease will go down
3. stress on your heart will be reduced
4. your loved ones will not be harmed by your smoke.
5. breathing will be easier.
6. your smoker’s cough will disappear
7. physical activity will be easier and more enjoyable
8. food will taste better
9. thing will smell better
10. you’ll have more energy
11. your breath will smell fresher
Social
1. you will be the one in control - cigarettes will no longer control you
2. your self-image and self-confidence will improve
3. family and friends will be rpoud of you
4. you’ll be a healthier parent for your children, now and in the future
5. your life insurance premiums will go down
6. you’ll have more money to spend on other things
62
Your Guide to a Smoke Free Future
Here is a short list of some health and physical
problems caused by smoking
1. twice the normal risk of heart attack
and stroke
2. more than 90% of lung cancers and
other lung diseases
(chronic bronchitis, emphysema)
3. 30% of all cancers
4. decreased physical endurance
6. health problems for children and other
family members from second-hand
smoke
7. wrinkles
8. bad breath
9. stained teeth
10. persistent cough
5. bad colds
Fro men, smoking can block circulation and lead to impotence.
For women on “the pill,” smoking greatly increases the chance of a stroke.
When pregnant women smoke, they have a much greater chance of losing the baby.
Also, there is an increased risk of having a low birth weight baby, sudden infant death and
later developmental problems for their babies.
Your Guide to a Smoke Free Future
63
Look at your past attempts
Most smokers don’t quit the first time they try, or even the third or
fouth time. Usually it takes many attempts to learn the skills of living
without the help of cigarettes. If you’ve tried to quit in the past, take a
look at what happened. This can really help you to plan for the next
time.
Our heart health team is here to help you begin or maintain a smokefree life. Make an appointment today, and ask for our handout on
“Your Guide to a Smoke-Free Future.”
64
Your Guide to a Smoke Free Future
Coping with heart disease
Paying Attention to your Quality of Life
It is normal for a person to experience many changes after a cardiac event or diagnosis of heart disease.
When we talk about a person’s health-related quality of life, we mean the impact of disease and treatment on a person’s life. This includes physical well-being, disease and treatment-related symptoms, and
psychological and social well-being.
Since your cardiac event or diagnosis, have you noticed changes in any of the
following areas?
Physical changes:
• Feeling weaker (or stronger)
• Feeling tired
• Having less (or more) energy
• Breathing difficulties
• More (or less) pain
Psychological changes:
• Feeling sad or blue
• Losing interest in things once enjoyed
• Feeling angry
• Having more worry
• Having more stress
• Feeling proud of positive lifestyle changes
• Changing “life priorities”
Social changes:
• Spending more or less time with friends and family
• Changes in the way you discuss concerns with friends and family
• Changes in your intimacy or sexual activity
• Changes in your ability to do your job or household chores
Managing Stress
Stress describes the challenges, frustrations, complications, and changes to which we all must adapt,
usually on a daily basis. Stress involves our reactions to situations. A certain degree of stress is normal
and necessary for us to grow stronger. However, stress is unhealthy when it:
(1) Makes it difficult to relax or do usual activities,
(2) Leads to unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, or
(3) Is out of proportion to the actual threat of the situation.
Understand & coping with heart disease
65
Three components of stress and stress management
1. Physical (what your body does)
2. Cognitive (what you think)
PHYSICAL
3. Behavioural (what you do)
e.g., muscle tension
relaxation exercises
COGNITIVE
BEHAVIOURAL
e.g., increased worry
e.g., insomnia
managing thoughts
tips for sleeping
MAKING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHANGES
After a cardiac event or diagnosis, people are usually encouraged to make one or more healthy lifestyle
changes. These typically include the following activities:
• Eating healthy
• Starting to exercise or exercising more
• Stopping smoking
• Drinking less alcohol
• Taking new medications
• Managing stress
If you felt ready and confident, what are the most important heart-healthy behaviour changes you would
like to make?
1) __________________________
2) __________________________
3) __________________________
66
Understand & coping with heart disease
How do people change?
We know that is often difficult to change lifestyle activities or behaviours. Research tells us that people
usually go through stages in terms of how ready they are to make lifestyle changes. People often cycle
through the stages many times. A person should not get discouraged after cycling through the stages
several times. Instead, this is a good chance to think about what can be learned from the experience.
The diagram below shows the stages through
which people cycle when they are making a
healthy lifestyle change. The following page
gives you tips for each of the stages.
Cycling through stages of change
What is your stage right now?
Not ready or
planning to
make a change
within next 6
months
STAGE 2
STAGE 1
Planning to make
a change within
next 6 months
Planning to
make a
change
within next
month
Readiness
for
Lifestyle
Change
STAGE 3
STAGE 5
Made a change
for longer than
6 months
STAGE 4
Made a change
within past 6
months
Understand & coping with heart disease
67
Helping With Your Change Plans
Stage
1
2
3
Description
Helpful Tips
Not ready or planning
to make a change
within next 6 months
• Think about what might be different if you did
make a change
Planning to make a
change within next 6
months
• Think about the pros (good things) and cons
(bad things) of changing
• Think about what might happen if you don’t
make a change
Planning to make a
change within next
months
• Set a “change date”
• Arrange things in your home to remind you and
help you make a change (e.g., have healthy
food, keep walking shoes at front door)
• “Experiment” by making a short-term change
4
Made a change within
past 6 months
• “Reward” your good behaviour
• Spend time with people who are supportive of
your change
5
Made a change for
longer than 6 months
• Avoid places, people, or situations when you are
most likely to “slip”
Please ask a member of the Cardiac Care and Heart Health team for a referral
to the Psychology service (1) if you would like assistance managing distressing
thoughts and feelings or making behaviour changes, or (2) if you would like to
take part in a stress management workshop.
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Understand & coping with heart disease
Do You Know What to do in the
Case of an Emergency?
Although you may have made some new healthy choices in your life, there is still a chance that you may
need urgent medical attention. Do not wait in fear but prepare yourself and your family so you know
what to do in case of an emergency.
Knowing how to handle an emergency will help get rid of your fears.
• Learn the signs of a heart attack
• Find out how and where to get emergency help
• Develop an action plan of what to do if you think you or a family member is
experiencing a heart attack
• Review the above steps with your family
What is the Difference Between Angina and a Heart Attack?
Common Questions
Angina
Heart Attack
Are the signs the same?
The signs are the same
but less severe
The signs are the
same but more severe
How long does the chest
discomfort usually last?
5 to 30 minutes
Longer than 30 minutes
When does the chest
discomfort usually start?
With exercise or emotional upset
Often suddenly with
exercise, emotional upset,
or just at rest
What makes the chest
discomfort usually go away?
Rest and/or nitroglycerine
under the tongue
Getting emergency medical
help right away. CALL 911
When should you
call your doctor?
If you notice your symptoms are
occurring more often, with less
activity, at rest or at night
Do not call your doctor but
CALL 911 right away
What are the Signs of a Heart Attack?
• Chest pain: tightness, discomfort or crushing pain, heaviness, pressure or squeezing, fullness or burning
• Pain spreading from chest: down one or both arms, up to neck, jaw, shoulders or upper back
• Shortness of breath
• Paleness and sweating
• Weakness, faintness
• Upset stomach, vomiting, or indigestion
• Anxiety, fear
• DENIAL
If you or anyone else is experiencing any of these symptoms, and they last more than 30 minutes do not
deny it or wait. CALL 911 OR YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY NUMBER.
In Case of an Emergency
69
What Do You Do If You Suspect You Are Having a Heart Attack?
1. Stop what you are doing and rest for 1 to 2 minutes
2. Take your nitroglycerine under your tongue (if you have already been given this drug by your doctor)
3. Tell someone
4. If your symptoms do not go away after 30 minutes even after taking several nitroglycerin:
*CALL 911 or your local emergency number*
How Do You Take Your Nitroglycerine?
If you experience any chest discomfort follow these instructions below:
1. Stop what you are doing, and sit down for 1 to 2 minutes
2. If you still feel some chest discomfort, take one of your nitroglycerine pills or one spray under your
tongue (Do not swallow the pill or spray. Allow the medication to dissolve under your tongue and
it will get into your bloodstream through your tongue. The drug will not work if swallowed)
3. Wait 5 minutes, if the chest discomfort is still there take a second pill or spray
4. Wait 5 minutes, if the chest discomfort is still there take a third pill or spray
5. If the pain is not relieved within 5 minutes of taking the third pill or spray, you may be having a
heart attack. If this happens, have someone take you to the nearest emergency department. If you are
alone, do not drive yourself…call 911, then sit or lie down to rest until help arrives
** Always carry your nitroglycerine with you
How Can Family Members or Friends Help?
• Know the signs of a heart attack. Remember that denial of a problem can be a sign of a heart attack. If
you suspect a problem, act on it, do not wait
• Take a CPR course so you will know what to do in an emergency. If you want to find a CPR course in
your community, call the HEART and STROKE FOUNDATION at 1-888-473-4636
• Have a list of the person’s medication and medical history ready so that it can be given when the ambulance comes or when you reach the hospital
• In an emergency, call 911 and not the family doctor. The staff at the doctor’s office may not realize that
you are calling about an emergency.
70
In Case of an Emergency
Evaluation Form for Binder
1. Gender:
2. Education
r Male
r Grade School
r Female
r High School
r College/ University
r 35-44 years of age
r 45-54 years of age
3. Which of the following age groups do you belong to?
r under age of 35
r 55-64 years of age
r 65-74 years of age
r 75 and over
3. How long have you been diagnosed as having heart disease?
r Less than one year
r 1-5 years
r Over 5 years
r I am a partner or family member of a heart patient
r I am a health professional
4. On the following scale, please indicate whether you found the information in Take Your
Health To Heart binder to be “very good”, “good”, “fair” or “poor”. If you didn’t read a
particular section, please mark the “Didn’t Read” box.
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
Didn’t Read
r
r
r
r
r
Introduction
From patient to person
r
r
r
r
r
About the heart
r
r
r
r
r
Procedures
r
r
r
r
r
Nutrition
r
r
r
r
r
Exercise and your heart
r
r
r
r
r
Medications
r
r
r
r
r
Smoking Cessation
r
r
r
r
r
Coping with heart disease r
r
r
r
r
Emergency
r
r
r
r
r
Community Linkages
r
r
r
r
r
5. Is there information that you would have liked included?
6. Would you recommend Take Your Heart to Health binder to other people with heart disease?
r Yes, very strongly
r Yes
7.Did you find the binder easy to read?
8. Overall, how would you rate the binder?
Comments:
r Very good
r Good
r No
r Yes
r Fair
r Not at all
r No
r Poor
Thank you for taking the time to fill out this evaluation.
r Didn’t Read