Cardiovascular Risk After Quitting Smoking in Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Author Information
Author(s): Anneke Kramer, Angelique CM Jansen, Emily S van Aalst-Cohen, Michael WT Tanck, John JP Kastelein, Aeilko H Zwinderman
Primary Institution: Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam
Hypothesis
How does smoking cessation affect the risk of cardiovascular atherosclerotic events in individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia?
Conclusion
Excess risk due to smoking declined linearly after cessation in at least six to nine years.
Supporting Evidence
- Cardiovascular events were observed in 779 of the 2400 individuals included in this study.
- The risk of atherosclerotic events due to smoking was estimated at 2.1.
- It took 6 to 9 years after smoking cessation for the risk to reduce to the level of non-smokers.
Takeaway
If you stop smoking, your chances of heart problems go down over time, but it can take 6 to 9 years to be as safe as someone who never smoked.
Methodology
The study analyzed smoking as a time-dependent risk factor for cardiovascular events in a cohort of 2400 individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia using a Cox regression model.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported smoking data and medical records.
Limitations
The study relied on retrospective data collection, which may have inaccuracies in smoking history.
Participant Demographics
Participants were individuals with familial hypercholesterolemia, followed from birth until 2004.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.5; 2.9
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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