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Smokers With Heart Disease Won't Quit
Feb. 27, 2006 -- More than half of smokers diagnosed with heart disease or other circulation-related disorders continue to smoke, despite the fact that smoking raises the risks associated with heart disease.
A new German survey shows that 52% of people with a history of a heart-related disorder, including high blood pressure, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease, continued to smoke after their diagnosis.
Although some smokers may be in denial about the health risks associated with smoking, researchers say smokers may not be receiving adequate counseling from health care providers about the relationship between cigarette smoking and heart disease.
For example, the survey showed that less than 4% of smokers had received counseling about smoking cessation from a doctor during their last health examination.
Researchers say quitting smoking is an important part of heart disease prevention, and the results suggest that many smokers are not getting the message.
Smokers Keep Smoking Despite Risks
In the study, published in BMC Public Health, researchers surveyed 3,778 current and former smokers about their health and smoking status.
Among those diagnosed with a heart or circulation-related disorder -- including high blood pressure, heart attack, angina (chest pain), heart failure, stroke, peripheral vascular disease (circulation problems affecting the extremities) -- 52% were current smokers, which means they kept smoking after the disorder had been diagnosed.
In addition, 28% of those diagnosed with three or more conditions were still smoking.
Researchers say the results suggest that only a portion of the general population seems to be discouraged from smoking by heart disease and related disorders.
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