Younger Smokers Have An Increased Risk Of Heart Disease

Previous clinical studies have shown that smokers presented with heart attacks, known as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMI), about 10 years earlier than non-smokers. It is well known that all people who smoke have an increased risk of developing a heart attack than those of the same age who don't smoke. What isn't clear is what the significance of that risk is, among different demographic groups, because there haven't been any studies conducted that looked at what the population trends were in individuals who smoked. 

The study

Researchers at the South Yorkshire Cardiothoracic Centre of Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, England collected and analyzed information on over 1,700 adults receiving treatment for STEMIs at this cardiothoracic centre from 2009 to 2012.

For reference purposes, a STEMI refers to the type of electrical pattern noted on an electrocardiogram (ECG), due to this type of heart attack, which shows that a large part of the heart muscle is perishing.

Data from the Office for National Statistics Integrated Household Survey for the South Yorkshire region was collected and analyzed by the researchers. Among other data, they looked for information on the smoking prevalence of these heart attack patients. 

The findings

It was found that nearly 49% of the over 1,700 patients were currently smokers, nearly 27% of these patients were former smokers and just above 24% were non-smokers.

This is where the information revealed that active smokers were up to 11 years younger than previous or non-smokers when they had their heart attacks.

The following deductions were also made from this data:

• Current smokers, together with ex-smokers, were twice more likely than non-smokers to have had previous incidents of coronary artery disease.
• Current smokers were also three times more likely than non-smokers to be diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease. This is a condition where there's damage to or narrowing of the blood vessels and this results in restricted blood flow to the peripheral limbs.
• The overall predominance of smoking in the mentioned centre was just over 22%, with the highest being among those under the age of 50 (nearly 28%).
• The major finding in this study was that among patients who had STEMIs, nearly 75% of them were under the age of 50.

READ 10 Effects of Secondhand Smoke

The clinical significance

The researchers of the study were puzzled why younger smokers had a much higher risk of developing STEMIs since they didn't suffer from issues such as elevated cholesterol levels, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease occurs when the major arteries that supply blood to the heart become damaged and results in blockage of the vessels. This situation results in decreased flow of oxygen to the heart muscle which can cause the tissue to die off. This is then called a myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Causes and risk factors

Various factors have been associated with the development of coronary artery disease. These issues lead to damage of the inner wall of these arteries which leads to them becoming narrowed and blocked, and they include:

• Smoking.
• High cholesterol levels.
• High blood pressure/hypertension.
• Uncontrolled diabetes.
• Being physically inactive.

Further risk factors for developing coronary heart disease include the following issues:

• Being overweight or obese.
• Having a family history of this disease, especially if your father or a brother was diagnosed before the age of 55 or if your mother or a sister developed it before the age of 65.
• High stress levels due to emotional and physical stressors.

Symptoms

The following are symptoms that can be experienced when there is reduced oxygen transport to the heart.

• Chest pain - also called angina, the patient feels pressure or tightness in the centre of the chest. Angina is usually triggered by emotional or physical stress.
• Shortness of breath - this develops because the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's oxygen and nutrient needs.
• Heart attack - this occurs when there's complete blockage of the arteries The classic symptoms and signs include a crushing pressure in the chest with referred pain to the arm or shoulder, sometimes with sweating and shortness of breath.

Women can experience sharp or fleeting pain in the neck, arm or back.

READ How to survive a heart attack when you are all alone?

Complications

Coronary artery disease that remains untreated of is poorly controlled can result in the following complications:

• Heart attack - the lack of oxygen to the heart, due to a complete blockage of these arteries, can result in the heart muscle becoming damaged. This can be potentially fatal, but can result in further complications for the heart. The amount of damage that occurs depends on which coronary artery was affected and how quickly one receives treatment.
• Heart failure - damaged to the heart muscle by a heart attack can result in the heart becoming dysfunctional or too weak to be able to pump blood effectively enough throughout the body. This condition is known as heart failure and can result in shortness of breath and swelling of the limbs due to fluid build-up in the body.
• Abnormal heart rhythm - poor blood flow to the heart or damage to heart tissue can cause problems with the conduction system of the heart and therefore mess around with the heart's electrical impulses. This results in abnormal heart rhythms, otherwise known as arrhythmias, that may need treatment if they cause bothersome symptoms for the patient.