Keeping triglyceride levels under control, is an essential part of an overall plan to reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Lowering triglycerides involves getting regular exercise, managing stress and eating healthy. Along with that, it is also important to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is not easy, but a health care provider can provide the tools and support you need.
Triglycerides
Triglycerides are a type of fat that circulates in the bloodstream. Excess calories that are not used right away for energy are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells in the body. High triglyceride levels can be caused by many factors besides overeating; poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle, uncontrolled diabetes and smoking also contribute to high levels. Genetics play a role and due to a family history, some people are prone to having higher than normal triglyceride levels. No matter what the cause, to prevent serious illness the American Heart Association, recommends keeping triglyceride levels at less than 150 mg/dL.
Warnings
While more research is needed to determine the effect of smoking on triglycerides directly, what is known is that smoking contributes to a buildup of plaque in the arteries because it damages the blood vessel walls, reports the Texas Heart Institute. This buildup of plaque makes the blood vessels hard and narrow, which restricts blood flow to the heart and brain, or both, leading to a heart attack or stroke. If triglyceride levels are already high and you smoke, plaque may build up faster than if you did not smoke. In fact, smoking is one of the leading modifiable risk factors for heart disease.
Considerations
Even a small amount of plaque buildup can lead to health problems. According to the Cleveland Clinic, for those who already have some plaque buildup, an additional buildup of less than 1 percent, can increase the risk of a heart attack. Making changes such as quitting smoking and lowering high cholesterol, can slow the progression of heart disease and prevent heart attacks. When it comes to heart disease, smoking does more than contribute to plaque buildup. It also increases heart rate, tightens major arteries, causes abnormal heart rhythms, raises blood pressure and cholesterol levels and causes the blood to clot more easily. All of the above, along with high triglyceride levels, increases the possibility of having a heart attack or stroke.
Solution
Smoking raises triglyceride levels; quitting smoking raises high-density lipoproteins, the "good" cholesterol or HDL, notes Johns Hopkins. It does not take long for the benefits of quitting to occur: within 20 minutes of quitting your heart rate and blood pressure drops; within a few weeks circulation improves; after one year your risk of heart disease is half that of people who still smoke and after 15 years, your risk of heart disease is the same as someone who never smoked, says the American Cancer Society.
