Quitting smoking and reduction of cardiovascular risk factors

Objective: Primary prevention of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) is central to reduce the number of cardiovascular diseases, being smoking one of them. The aim of our study was to know the contribution to reduce CVRF by helping people quit smoking. Material and methods: Retrospective review of data: demographic data, medical history report, smoking history and prescribed treatment. Follow-up visits at 15 days, 1, 3, 6 months and 1 year. Statistics analysis SPSS 18.0. Results: 692 patients; 53.3% females, mean age 48.52 y. o.; started smoking at 16.99, median consumption 25.85 cig/day; previous quit attempts 77.5%. Fagerstrom test 5.79; exhaled CO 24.9 ppm. Pharmacological treatments: varenicline 36.8%; NRT 32.6%; bupropion 27.6%; none 2.8%. Abstinence rates at 15 days, 1, 3 and 6 months, and 1 year were: 68.6%, 67%, 59.6%, 53.3%; and 34.5%. 42.1% patients had CVRF: 14.6% hypertension; 9.2% elevated lipids figures; 8.1% both. Furthermore, 5.8% were obese and 10.3% suffered from diabetes. Patients with the 2 main CVRF, abstinence rates at 6 months 54.5% (67% when they had just one). When these patients were also diabetic, abstinence rates 50% (55% when had just one); obese patients with 2 CVRF, abstinence rates were 57.89% (87.5% when just one was present). CONCLUSIONS: Patients attended were mainly middle-aged females who started smoking before 17 y. o., smoked more than a pack/day and had made previous quitting attempts. Half of them were abstinent at 6 months of follow up. An important number of patients had one or two CVRF, and there were many obese and diabetic patients. More than the half of these patients stopped smoking. Smoking cessation units are central for primary prevention of CV diseases.