Smoking is a habit that has a major impact on heart health. A large scale study at the Tel Aviv University researched the effects of quitting or cutting down on smoking had a positive effect on health after a major health event, such as a heart attack.
In the study, reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the researchers found that quitting smoking after a heart attack had about the same positive effect as other major interventions, such as lipid lowering agents like statins or more invasive procedures.
Dr. Yariv Gerber, of the TAU Sackler School of Medicine, stated in a press release, "It is really the most broad and eye opening study of its kind. Smoking really decreases your life expectancy after a heart attack. Those who have never smoked have a 43% lower risk of succumbing after a heart attack, compared to the persistent smoker.'
People with a history of smoking can cut their risk, according to the TAU researchers. Dr. Gerber stated “We found that people who quit smoking after their first heart attack had a 37 % lower risk of dying from another, compared to those who continued to smoke.'
Researchers also found that cutting back on smoking had a positive effect on health. Cutting back on smoking decreases the risk, but continuing to smoke still carries risks of cancer and lung disease.
Resource: Tel Aviv University: Smoker Alert: Information You Can Live With, February 1, 2010.
Written by Christine Nyholm
HULIQ.com
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