Quitting smoking, weight gain, and risk of CV events

Smoking cessation often causes weight gain that is difficult to manage. Bearing in mind the risk of cardiovascular events, is it better for a patient to continue smoking or to put on weight?

Salim Yusuf: The balance is overwhelmingly in favor of reduced risk by quitting smoking. Yes, a few people, perhaps a third, a half, will gain some weight, but the weight gain is modest. And if you combine smoking cessation with, say, just moderately increased activity, you will counter the weight gain.

So even if there is a small weight gain, I would not worry. Quitting smoking is so much more important.