Smokers are more likely to have a heart attack than non-smokers with pre-existing heart conditions, a study has found.
The research, led by the University of Michigan Health System, looked at the records of 3,600 people who were admitted to hospital with a heart attack or unstable angina.
The results found that a quarter of the heart attack victims were smokers and were also younger with fewer health problems than the non-smokers who had heart problems.
In men, the non-smoking heart attack sufferers were on average 64-years-old, compared to 55 for the smokers. For the women, the average age of a non-smoking woman who suffered a heart attack was 70-years-old, whereas smoking victims were only 57.
In contrast to these findings however, researchers found that smokers were less likely to have other health problems linked with heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.
The study went on to say that this “smoker’s paradox” might be the reason why smokers who smoke are less likely to die six months after a heart attack, compared to non-smokers.
However, the underlying message was the discovery that smoking has a "tremendous risk factor" for having acute coronary events earlier in life.
"Even within a few days of stopping smoking, there is a reduction in (heart) risk. As time goes by, within one to two years much of that risk is gone for heart attacks," says Dr. Michael Howe, who led the study.
If you're a smoker but want to quit, follow these top tips from assistant medical director at Bupa, Dr. Layla McCay to try and stub out the cigarettes for good:
Change your routine - "Aside from the addictive nature of nicotine, quitting smoking can be difficult simply because cigarettes are often an integral part of a smoker’s daily life. In fact, your body gets rid of nicotine as quickly as 48 hours after your last cigarette which means that whilst your withdrawal symptoms can be intense for the first two or three days, you should feel better after the third or fourth day. Recognising the triggers which make you want a cigarette and staying away from them can help you break the habit."
Stay motivated - "Staying motivated in face of nicotine cravings can be one of the most difficult parts of stopping smoking. Try making a list of the reasons why you want to stop smoking and carry it with you. Read through it when you have a craving to remind yourself why you want to stop. As well as improving your health, stopping smoking will also improve your bank balance. Why not put the money you would otherwise spend on cigarettes in a jar, so you can see how much you are saving? This could become your holiday fund."
Get help - "If you are finding quitting difficult, your GP can refer you to a stop smoking service which can provide additional counselling and support. You can discuss with them other options like nicotine replacement patches or chewing gum which help reduce your cravings for nicotine. There are also medications such as Varenicline which help to reduce your withdrawal symptoms and interrupt the way nicotine affects your body. This means that if you do succumb to temptation and have a cigarette, the nicotine won’t affect you as much as it used to."
For free expert advice and information from Bupa on quitting smoking, please visit www.facebook.com/bupauk