Myocardial infarction: a too high proportion of patients continue to smoke after cardiac complication

A smoker of 5 victims of a first myocardial infarction continues despite smoking cessation advice delivered by the physician, according to a review published in the "European Heart Journal" European study
It seems "incredible" that so many people continue to smoke after such an event while smoking is a major cardiovascular risk factor, said Dr. Wilma Scholte op Reimer of the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, while questioning the relevance the information risk.

According to her, in light of the data of this study, it seems important to develop effective smoking cessation programs.

The researcher and her colleagues interviewed 5,551 heart patients admitted to 47 hospitals in 15 European countries over a year after the condition for which they were hospitalized, mainly after myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery, angioplasty (recanalization by percutaneous of a coronary artery that feeds the heart) or unstable angina (ie, to say with threat of attack).

In this case, he was asked to clarify their smoking habits during the 30 days prior to hospitalization and if they continued to smoke now. In case of doubt or denial, some were also tested for carbon monoxide.

In fact, about a quarter (21%) of respondents reported smoking habits continue after a cardiac event.

The majority (99%) of 2244 individuals who smoked before the onset of a heart complication was advised by the doctor to stop smoking, but ultimately, only 48% have followed this advice.

The younger smokers (aged under 50) were those with the least willingly stopped smoking, even those suffering from angina compared to patients who have experienced a heart attack.

Apparently, in the opinion of the expert, the anginal patients who smoke do not seem enough or properly alerted to the high myocardial infarction risk associated with smoking and the risk of death.

Indeed, asymptomatic coronary, it takes more than 10 years for cardiac risk becomes identical to that observed in non-smokers, which shows the importance of the gain obtained in the case of smoking cessation, says Dr Scholte op Reimer.