Mr. Mark Westcott

Mr Mark Westcott, a renowned vascular surgeon from St Vincent's Hospital in Victoria, who features in the Carotid commercial, said that quitting smoking reduces the risk of stroke, amputation and aneurysm rupture amongst other things.

"People who smoke are about twice as likely to have a stroke than someone who has never smoked or have given up, yet fewer than one in ten smokers are aware smoking is a cause of stroke, said Mr Westcott.

Mr Mark Westcott, a Vascular Surgeon at St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne said smoking is the number one risk factor for PVD, and over 80% of people with PVD affecting the lower limbs are either smokers or ex-smokers.

"People who smoke are likely to worsen their symptoms of PVD, and as a result increase their risk of amputation," said Mr Westcott.

"Compared to smokers, people who quit smoking have less severe pain when walking and are less likely to develop pain at rest.They live longer, respond better to treatment, and are less likely to require amputation. "

"Quitting smoking will reduce your risk of developing PVD and the longer you have quit, the lower your risk of developing symptoms of PVD."

Mr Westcott said other risk factors for PVD include diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels, and noted that if you have more than one of these risk factors, your risk of PVD increases.

About 800 Victorians are diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease every year . It usually affects older people, but vascular surgeon Mark Westcott said some smokers in their 30s had been affected and had major amputations."It's a bit despairing when there is nothing more that can be done," he said.