We all know that smoking is bad for health and particularly for the heart! It is well known that giving up smoking is the most effective way to prevent acute myocardial infarction and death from cardiovascular disease. Giving up smoking between the ages of 45-65 will allow you to live an average of 3-5 more years, free from cardiac events. If we consider the risk of cancer and lung diseases, the gains in disease-free years from giving up smoking will be maximized and certainly higher. According to the World Health Organization, smoking is responsible for the death of more than 7 million people a year worldwide. Although tobacco is most often consumed in cigarettes, whichever way tobacco is consumed , it always has harmful effects. Despite all the evidence about the effects of tobacco, many people continue to smoke even after being diagnosed with heart disease. And, when advised by their cardiologist to stop smoking, they often report that they have already reduced the number of cigarettes per day! Is reducing cigarettes enough to reduce the risk of heart disease and in particular of acute myocardial infarction and stroke? This was the question a group of researchers wanted to answer. To do this, they followed for about 6.2 years 897 975 smokers who had no evidence of cardiovascular disease when they were included in the study. After the first 2 years of follow-up, according to the level of tobacco consumption assessed at this time, the study population was divided into the following five groups : Those who had quit smoking; Those who had reduced the number of cigarettes smoked by 50% or more; Those who had reduced the number of cigarettes smoked between 20% and 50%; Those who maintained an approximate level of cigarettes; Those who had increased the number of cigarettes smoked by 20% or more. Then, based on data obtained over the years that the study lasted, the researchers estimated the risk of developing acute myocardial infarction or stroke in each of the groups. Compared to people who continued to smoke, the results obtained for the other groups were as follows: People who quit smoking completely had a 23% lower risk of stroke and 26% lower risk of acute myocardial infarction during the period analyzed; The remaining groups, which included those who increased tobacco consumption and those who reduced consumption more or less sharply , had the same risk of stroke and acute myocardial infarction . Given these results: The authors concluded that only smoking cessation is associated with a reduced risk of cardiac events. Additionally, this study has shown that reducing the number of cigarettes, but continuing to smoke, has no benefit in preventing cardiovascular disease. Thus… If you have a heart problem or want to prevent the development of cardiovascular disease, the only solution is to stop smoking any and all tobacco! References 2021 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice . Europ Heart J 2021;42:3227-337. Smoking cessation, but not reduction, reduces cardiovascular disease incidence . Europ Heart J 2021;40:4141-53. World health Organization. Tobacco . Author : José Ferreira Santos The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
