Tag Archives: smoking

Introduction Following observations that smokers experience decreased mortality following acute myocardial infarction (acute MI [AMI]) in comparison with non-smokers,1 the term ‘smoker’s paradox’ was introduced into scientific discourse more than 25 years ago.2 The ‘smoker’s paradox’ following various reperfusion strategies, however, is argued not to be due to any benefit from smoking itself but simply due to smokers being likely to undergo such procedures at a much younger age, and, hence, having, on average, lower comorbidity. In a recent systematic review (with a search by September 2010)2 of 17 studies presenting adjusted tota

Aggressive risk factor modification: 30 year follow-up of IHD and non-haemorrhagic stroke Dear Sirs, In a single doctor’s practice in a high-risk area of South Sheffield, aggressive measures were taken to prevent ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and non-haemorrhagic stroke (ST) since 1980. Four cardinal risk factors were detected: smoking, diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol. Smoking, diabetes and hypertension were treated critically using standard guidelines and applying the latest evidence available independent of cost from 1980 onwards. Mortality from IHD has been known for many years to be directly related to the level of serum choleste

The study, published online in the British Medical Journal on June 8, 2010, found that, after accounting for a pre-existing decline in admissions, trends in population size, and seasonal variation in admissions, there was a 2.4% drop in the number of emergency admissions for MI after the smoking ban legislation came into force on July 1, 2007. This equates to 1,200 fewer emergency admissions in the first year after the law came into effect (1,600 including readmissions). The researchers, from the University of Bath, note that the largest impacts of smoking bans on MI rates have been reported in smaller studies in the US, with reductions in th

ARBITER 6: niacin superior to ezetimibe for slowing atherosclerosis Use of extended-release niacin resulted in a significant benefit on atherosclerosis compared with ezetimibe in patients already taking statins in the ARBITER 6-HALTS trial. The trial, presented at the meeting by Dr Allen Taylor (Medstar Research Institute, Washington DC, US), compared two distinct lipid-modifying strategies in patients with known vascular disease already on statins who had LDL-cholesterol levels <100 mg/dL (2.56 mmol/L) and moderately low HDL-cholesterol levels (<50 mg/dL [1.28 mmol/L]). Among the 363 patients enrolled in the study, half were randomised

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