10/19/2026
Quitting smoking starts helping your heart almost immediately.
Within about 20 minutes, heart rate and blood pressure begin to drop, and within 12 hours, carbon monoxide levels in the blood return to normal, so more oxygen reaches the heart and body. Over the following weeks and months, circulation improves and the heart doesn't have to work as hard. After one year, the added risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a person who continues to smoke. Within 2 to 5 years, stroke risk can fall to that of a nonsmoker, and after about 15 years, the risk of coronary heart disease is similar to that of someone who has never smoked. It's never too late to benefit, and the sooner you quit, the sooner your heart begins to recover.