Editorial
Opening the window of opportunity: encouraging patients to stop smoking
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Smoking is a complex behaviour involving physiological dependence on regular administration of nicotine, psychological dependence to cope with stress, and reinforcement in social contexts. Smoking cessation is difficult.
Evidence for intervening with smokersPhysicians inform patients about the overwhelming evidence
demonstrating the cardiovascular hazards of tobacco use and the health
benefits from smoking cessation, but many continue to smoke. Smoking
contributes to approximately 30% of all ischaemic heart disease deaths
(IHD) in the USA each year, and the risk is strongly dose
related.1 2 Smoking acts synergistically with other risk
factors leading to an increased risk of IHD,3 as well as
nearly doubling the risk of ischaemic stroke.4 At age
30-49 years the rates of myocardial infarction in smokers are five
times those of non-smokers; at 50-59 they are three times those of
non-smokers; and at 60-79 they are twice as great as for
non-smokers.5 About half of those who smoke
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This article has been cited by other articles:
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Trockel, M., Burg, M., Jaffe, A., Barbour, K., Taylor, C. B.
(2008). Smoking Behavior Postmyocardial Infarction Among ENRICHD Trial Participants: Cognitive Behavior Therapy Intervention for Depression and Low Perceived Social Support Compared With Care as Usual. Psychosom. Med.
70: 875-882
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