Hello doctor, My father is 58 years old, last week he had a heart attack and turned out he had a blockage of 75 percent in the left anterior descending artery (widowmaker). So, he had a cardiac catheterization and one stent, so we feared that the side effects of quitting smoking might affect his heart since he is in no position to go through them. Is E-cigarette safe way to quit? Can it give him another heart attack? Also, he has diabetes stage 2, but we are still monitoring it.
Hi. I am sorry to hear about your father but I am glad he survived and was appropriately treated. If he wants to increase his survival and decrease the possibility of dying, having another heart attack or developing heart failure (weak heart), he must stop smoking. There is no risk of stopping smoking related to this heart disease. The real risk is not to stop smoking. In regards to E-Cigarettes, they have been found to have a risk to the heart and lungs that do not make them a safer alternative to regular smoking. However, there are plenty of therapies and measurements to help him quit and although it is not easy, they might be very effective if used appropriately. And if he fails and recurs, it is totally fine and he can try again, over and over until he quits.