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In the United States, smoking is declining and researchers have quantified the benefits of quitting for health. However, new research from American Heart Association revealed that it takes over 15 years for former smokers to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease to those who have never smoked.
Previous studies have concluded that the increased risk of cardiovascular disease among smokers decreases only a few years after quitting. However, these studies did not take into account the history of smokers so precisely, such as changes in the number of cigarettes smoked per day, or smoking cessation followed by relapse.
For the ongoing investigation, the researchers obtained detailed information from 8,700 participants in the Framingham Heart Study study, including smoking history over the course of life. Individuals were all free of cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study.
Participants were followed on average 27 years later, when the risk of cardiovascular disease was compared among current smokers, former smokers and non-smokers.
The study found that former smokers who had quit in the last five years had reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease by 38% compared to those who continued to smoke. In addition, experts found that the risk of cardiovascular disease among former smokers had not returned to the level of non-smokers before age 16.
The researchers also determined that more than 70% of cardiovascular disease among current or former smokers occurred in those who smoked at least one pack a day for 20 years.
Meredith Duncan, co-author of the study, holds a PhD. student at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
"These results highlight the benefits of quitting within five years, which represents 38% less risk of heart attack, stroke or other forms of risk of cardiovascular disease compared to people who continue to smoke, "said Duncan. "We also found that the risk of cardiovascular disease remains high until age 16 for former smokers compared to people who have never smoked. At the end of the day, if you smoke, it's time to stop smoking. "
The research will be presented in Chicago during the 2018 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association.
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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Editor
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