Asthma

Research conducted at H.G.C. Vanspall and co-researchers has updated our knowledge about heart attack

Asthma Library Library Home This article was published in Cardiovascular Business Week, which you can subscribe to online.

"The prevalence and predictors of inpatient smoking-cessation counseling were determined. Associations were drawn between counseling and all-cause 1-year mortality using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model and controlling for important validated predictors of post-Ml mortality. Results A majority of patients with AMI (67.4%) had a history of smoking and 39.0% were current smokers. Current smokers presented with AMI at a much younger average age than former- and never-smokers (mean [+/- SD] ages 59.0 +/- 12.5, 68.9 +/- 11.4, and 70.6 +/- 12.8 years, respectively). Only 52.16/. of current smokers were offered smokingcessation counseling. Multivariate predictors of counseling included a history of asthma (odds ratio [OR] 1.62, 95% CI 1. 15-2.3 1) and admission to a large hospital (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.37-2.22). Factors associated with no counseling included increasing patient age (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.65-0.74), a history of diabetes (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.63-0.93), and admission under the care of a cardiologist (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.52-0.85) or internist (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.58-0.88). After adjustment for predictors of post-Ml mortality, counseled smokers had a lower risk of mortality (hazard ratio 0.63, 95% CI 0.44-0.90) than those not counseled. Conclusions Post-Ml inpatient smoking-cessation counseling is an underused intervention, but is independently associated with a significant mortality benefit," wrote H.G.C. Vanspall and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "Given the minimal cost and potential benefit of inpatient counseling, we recommend that it receive greater emphasis as a routine part of post-Ml management."

Vanspall and colleagues published their study in American Heart Journal (Inpatient smoking-cessation counseling and all-cause mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction. American Heart Journal, 2007;154(2):213-220).

For additional information, contact J.V. Tu, Institute Clinic Evaluation Science, G106-2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada.

Publisher contact information for the American Heart Journal is: Mosby-Elsevier, 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010-1710, USA.

Keywords: Canada, Toronto, Heart Attack, Myocardial Infarction.

This article was prepared by Cardiovascular Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Cardiovascular Business Week via NewsRx.com.