A new study presented at the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting found that a year after kicking the habit, smokers' arteries showed signs of reversing a problem that can set the stage for heart disease. A year after the smokers had quit, doctors did ultrasound tests to see how well blood vessel linings relaxed and handled blood flow. Using a tourniquet, they stopped blood flow in the forearm for a few minutes, then measured how a major artery responded when the flow was restored. "It's a valid test" and is considered a good sign of how healthy the heart arteries are,” said Alfred Bove, a Temple University heart specialist and president of the cardiology group. "It's a small improvement at one year. The question is, do these folks keep getting better?" he said.