The longer you smoke, the greater your risk of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). If you quit smoking, your risk decreases, but it remains higher than that of a person who has never smoked. In a study published in the June 7, 2011 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, it was noted, The researchers found that smoking increased a womans risk for PAD tenfold. Quitting smoking reduced the odds of developing PAD but did not eliminate it, even for people who had given up cigarettes for many years, says Peggy Bourguignon, MBA, program manager of the Tobacco Treatment Program at Cleveland Clinic.
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