Three out of five smokers continue to smoke after a heart attack

smokersSmokers.Photo: Pixabay.com

Only 2% of patients who have suffered a heart attack follow all advice to mitigate risks of health complications in the aftermath.

Restructuring of an unhealthy lifestyle is the best way to reduce the risk of new obstruction of the blood supply to the heart (infarction).

A study from Drammen and Vestfold Hospitals shows that three out of five smokers continue to smoke, 81% struggle with being overweight, and 60% are not physically active, reported Aftenposten newspaper. A significant proportion of these patients are affected by infarction again after a few years.

‘The results are discouraging and surprising’, said John Munkhaugen, the acting consultant in cardiovascular diseases, and leader of the study.

The study also shows that only half of patients reach their treatment target for blood pressure, even if they take the recommended medicines.

More than 13,000 people have a heart attack in Norway every year, and it is one of the most common causes of death in the country. About 90% of the risk of heart attack is associated with smoking, obesity and insufficient physical activity.

The cardiologist, and consultant at the Norwegian Medicines Agency, Steinar Madsen, is disappointed with the results.

‘We have to get better at prevention than we are today, and we must improve at following up patients who are at risk. Prevention is always better than treatment’, he said, adding that health care must re-think the issue.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today