Study: MI Risk 8-Times Higher Among Smokers Under 50 Years Old
Smokers who are under 50 years old have 8 times the risk of acute myocardial infarction as individuals who are the same age who have never smoked or have quit smoking, according to a recent study.
Previous research has suggested a link between smoking and earlier ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but little data is available to account for population smoking trends.
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For their study, the researchers examined medical records from 1795 STEMI patients, of whom 48.5% were current smokers. They compared smoking history in these patients with data from the Office for National Statistics for the South Yorkshire population between 2009 and 2012 to find relative risk and rate ratios.
Overall, the incidence of STEMI in smokers aged under 50 was 59.7 per 100,000 patient years, 316.9 per 100,000 patient years for those between 50 and 65 years old, and 331 per 100,000 patient years for those over 65 years old. Combined rates among former and never smokers were 7, 60.9, and 106.8 per 100,000 patient years, respectively.
Rate ratios were 8.47 for smokers under the age of 50 years compared to non-smokers of the same age, 5.20 in the 50–65 age group, and 3.10 in the over 65 age group.
“Smoking was associated with an 8-fold increased risk of acute STEMI in younger smokers, when compared to ex- and never smokers,” the researchers concluded. “Further efforts to reduce smoking in the youngest are needed.”
—Michael Potts
Reference:
Lloyd A, Steele L, Fotheringham J, et al. Pronounced increase in risk of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in younger smokers [published online November 29, 2016]. Heart. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2016-309595.