Attitude and efficacy of cardiologists with respect to smoking in patients after acute coronary syndromes.

Introduction And Objectives: Smoking is one of the most prevalent risk factors in acute coronary syndrome patients. The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of cardiologists to the smoking habits of these patients

Methods: A prospective multicenter registry of acute coronary syndrome patients. The primary endpoint was defined as smoking abstinence and the secondary endpoint as the incidence of all-cause mortality or nonfatal myocardial infarction.

Results: The study population included 715 patients; 365 were current smokers. During follow-up (median, 375.0 days [interquartile range, 359.3-406.0 days]), 110 patients (30.6%) received smoking cessation support (19.7% at hospital discharge and 37.6% at month 3), specialized units and varenicline being the strategies most frequently used. No clinical differences were observed between patients who received smoking cessation support and those who did not, except for a higher prevalence of previous coronary heart disease in those who received support. In the multivariate analysis, the only variable independently associated with receiving smoking cessation support was previous coronary heart disease (odds ratio=3.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.64-6.11; P<.01). The abstinence rate was 72.3% at month 3 and 67.9% at 1 year; no differences were observed between the patients who received smoking cessation support and those who did not. During follow-up, a nonsignificant trend toward a lower incidence of the secondary endpoint was observed among the patients who were smokers at the time of acute coronary syndrome and who achieved abstinence (P=.07).

Conclusions: Use of smoking cessation support strategies is limited in acute coronary syndrome patients and is more widespread among those with previous coronary heart disease.