Background: Smoking cessation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) is related to decreased risk of cardiovascular events.
Aims: To evaluate factors related to persistent smoking in patients with established coronary artery disease.
Methods: Patients aged 80 years or younger and hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome or a myocardial revascularization procedure were interviewed 6 to 18 months after the recruiting event. Medical history, smoking behavior, and exposure to environmental smoke were assessed during the interview. Self--reported smoking status was validated by carbon monoxide in exhaled air measurement. Persistent smoking was defined as smoking at the time of interview among those who smoked during the month prior to the recruiting event.
Results: We analyzed the data of 1034 patients, including 764 (73.9%) who reported smoking at any time in the past and 296 (28.6%) who smoked within 1 month before the recruiting hospitalization. At the time of the interview, the overall smoking rate was 17.2%, whereas 54.7% of patients were persistent smokers. Secondhand smoke exposure and duration of smoking were associated with lower likelihood whereas older age, high socioeconomic status, cardiac rehabilitation following a cardiovascular event, and consultation with a cardiologist were associated with higher likelihood of smoking cessation.
Conclusions: Over half of all smokers hospitalized for CAD are still smoking 6 to 18 months after discharge. Older age, secondhand smoking, low socioeconomic status, lack of consultation with a cardiologist, and cardiac rehabilitation following hospitalization were related to persistent smoking. Our findings may help develop strategies aimed at assisting smoking cessation in patients with CAD.