REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS Quitting smoking is associated with a substantial reduction in risk of all-cause mortality among patients with CHD .
This 36 % risk reduction appears substantial compared with other secondary preventive therapies such as cholesterol lowering which have received greater attention in recent years .
The risk reduction associated with quitting smoking seems consistent regardless of differences between the studies in terms of index cardiac events , age , sex , country , and time period .
BACKGROUND Although the importance of smoking as a risk factor for coronary heart disease is beyond doubt , the speed and magnitude of risk reduction when a smoker with coronary heart disease quits are still subjects of debate .
OBJECTIVES To estimate the magnitude of risk reduction when a patient with CHD stops smoking .
Biochemical evidence of persistent heavy smoking after a coronary diagnosis despite self-reported reduction: analysis from the Scottish Heart Health Study.
Data from 9740 Scottish men and women aged 40 - 59 years , selected at r and om in a population survey during 1984 - 86 , were used to compare self-reported smoking habits and biochemical measures of tobacco smoke inhalation in three groups : 625 with diagnosed coronary heart disease ; 1497 undiagnosed , but with suggestive question naire symptoms or electro-cardiographic signs ; and 7618 with no diagnosis or evidence of coronary disease , nor cardiovascular medication . Men and women with a diagnosis of coronary heart disease reported that they had tried to reduce their cigarette consumption or had quit more often than did the two comparison groups , but this effect was considerably greater in men than in women . Men in all groups had a higher cigarette quitting rate , but this may be due to switching to pipes and cigars . However , the biochemical measurement of tobacco smoke inhalation by cotinine showed that those with a coronary diagnosis had the highest overall levels of tobacco smoke inhalation , and the highest level of cotinine per self-reported cigarette , cigar , or ounce ( 30 g ) of pipe tobacco consumed . Self-reporting after a coronary diagnosis is consequently distorted , and an objective measure of smoke inhalation is to be preferred . In both sexes , particularly women , intake of tobacco products remains higher than that in the general population , whether or not it was even higher before they were diagnosed . Those responsible for continuing care of coronary patients need to be aware that health education and compliance are less effective in this group than they should be , both in male patients and , even more so , in women
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS Quitting smoking is associated with a substantial reduction in risk of all-cause mortality among patients with CHD .
This 36 % risk reduction appears substantial compared with other secondary preventive therapies such as cholesterol lowering which have received greater attention in recent years .
The risk reduction associated with quitting smoking seems consistent regardless of differences between the studies in terms of index cardiac events , age , sex , country , and time period .
BACKGROUND Although the importance of smoking as a risk factor for coronary heart disease is beyond doubt , the speed and magnitude of risk reduction when a smoker with coronary heart disease quits are still subjects of debate .
OBJECTIVES To estimate the magnitude of risk reduction when a patient with CHD stops smoking .