Smoking cessation rate after bypass surgery

Objectives: Smoking after coronary bypass surgery had more than twice the risk for myocardial infarction and reoperation after the first year of surgery when compared with patients who stopped smoking. This study was conducted to determine the number of patients who stopped smoking after coronary bypass surgery.

Method: A questionnaire was sent to all patients who underwent bypass surgery between the time period of 1.1.2004 and 30.12.2006 and were smokers up to one day before the surgery.

Result: 97 patients who filled in the questionnaire, 16 of them continued smoking and 18 patients restarted 3 to 18 months after stopping. 8 patients were not aware of the cardiac risks of smoking. A significant correlation was observed between smoking cessation and regular exercise (64% vs. 30%), emotional support from family members and friends (93% vs. 65%), marriage (73% vs. 27%), high level of education (30% vs. 16%), non smoking family members (22% vs. 12%). Stress in daily life or at work had little influence on smoking cessation. Of the non-smokers, 65% reported moderate to high stress at work compared to 68% of those who continued or restarted to smoke. Will power (79%) was significantly associated with smoking cessation. Most used no medical psychological or alternative medicine to stop smoking.

Conclusion: A large number of patients continue to smoke after cardiac surgery. Cardiologists, surgeons and family doctors need to be aware of this fact and should become active in educating and providing help to patients in need of breaking this dangerous addiction.