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How Does Smoking Affect Your Heart?

Health risks of smoking are widely known, and its connection to breathing problems and lung cancer is prominent. But smoking's impact reaches far beyond your lungs. Cigarette smoking harms nearly every other organ in your body, including your heart.

In general, smoking causes blood to thicken, increasing the risk of blood clots and damage to blood vessel walls. This can lead to a condition called atherosclerosis, a disease in which plaque builds up in the arteries, eventually narrowing them and limiting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart. Smoking also can cause heart disease or eventually lead to chest pain, heart failure or a heart attack.

According to a multi-study analysis by The BMJ (formerly British Medical Journal), smoking as little as one cigarette per day carries a 50% higher risk of developing coronary artery disease and 30% higher risk of stroke compared to those who have never smoked. When combined with other unhealthy lifestyle factors such as unhealthy cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and obesity, the risk for heart disease grows even more.

The good news is that heart disease risk drops dramatically within the first year a person quits smoking. Quitting smoking can even lower your risk more than common medicines used to lower heart disease risk, such as aspirin or beta blockers.

Whether you're a constant smoker, trying to quit or previously have quit, learn more about your risk factors for developing heart disease by taking our heart health assessment. You'll find out your heart's real age and what you can do now to reduce your risk of developing heart disease in the future.

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Why Choose Us?

We understand that experiencing potential heart-related symptoms can be concerning, especially when the cause isn't immediately clear. At Cedar Park Regional Medical Center, we are committed to getting to the heart of the matter by offering a wide range of cardiac services—from screenings and evaluations to helping you adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle and improve your overall well-being. The heart and vascular team includes multi-specialty cardiac professionals dedicated to providing quality cardiovascular care right here in Cedar Park, Texas.

As a Primary Stroke Center, we follow established best practices in heart care to ensure our patients receive accurate diagnoses and effective treatment plans. Our advanced diagnostic and imaging capabilities allow us to detect heart disease early—when intervention is most effective. If critical heart care is needed, we focus on timely treatment to minimize heart damage, reduce disruption to your life and provide personalized guidance on the best course of action for your heart health.

Our facilities include interventional cardiology suites equipped with technology to support the diagnosis and treatment of various cardiac conditions. These suites allow us to perform procedures such as diagnostic catheterizations and stenting. We also offer electrophysiology services for the treatment of arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation (AFib).

Our Distinctions:

Level IV Trauma Designation
STEMI Receiving Center
Primary Stroke Center

Our Services Include:

Arterial blood gas (ABG) testing
Cardiac calcium scoring
Cardiac catheterization lab
Cardiac stress testing
Cardiac screening & evaluation
Cardioversion
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) & asthma management
Diagnostic & interventional cardiac procedures
Electrophysiology
Holter monitoring (24 & 48 hour)
Pulmonary function testing
Nuclear/chemical stress testing
Pacemaker & AICD implants
Stress echocardiogram
Stress testing

Heart Healthy Resources

A Woman’s Risk for Heart Disease is Different: Here’s What You Need to Know

Heart disease is a big issue in the United States for both men and women alike. But some risk factors are more unique to women.
Read more »

What Do Doctors Have To Say About Your Heart?

Is High Blood Pressure Considered Heart Disease?

Finding out you have high blood pressure can be worrisome if you aren’t sure what your numbers mean or what to do about them. Discover how high blood pressure affects your heart.
Read more »

How Does Smoking Affect Your Heart?

Smoking’s impact reaches far beyond your lungs, harming nearly every other organ in the body. Get the specifics on how smoking can influence your heart’s health.
Read more »

Why Your Heart Wants You to Pay Attention to Your Cholesterol

Your liver makes cholesterol in your body, but you also get cholesterol from eating certain foods. Find out how the wrong kind of cholesterol can impact your heart.
Read more »