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Reduced incidence of admissions for myocardial infarction associated with public smoking ban: before and after study

Richard P Sargent1, Robert M Shepard, Stanton A Glantz

  • 1HealthCare Quality Performance Council, St Peter's Community Hospital, 2475 Broadway, Helena, Montana 59601, USA.

BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
|April 7, 2004
PubMed

Insights

A local law banning smoking in public and workplaces was associated with a significant decrease in hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction. This study suggests smoke-free policies may positively impact heart disease morbidity.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Cardiovascular Epidemiology
  • Environmental Health Policy

Background:

  • Secondhand smoke exposure is a known risk factor for acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
  • Workplace and public place smoking bans aim to reduce population-level exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of a local ordinance prohibiting smoking in public and workplaces on hospital admissions for AMI.
  • To assess changes in AMI admissions within a defined community during the period the smoking ban was enforced.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Poisson analysis to examine monthly AMI admission data from December 1997 to November 2003.
  • Focused on Helena, Montana, a geographically isolated community with a single hospital serving approximately 68,140 residents.
  • Compared AMI admissions for residents during the six months the law was active against baseline data from surrounding years.

Main Results:

  • A significant reduction of 16 AMI admissions was observed during the six months the smoking ban was in effect (95% CI: -31.7 to -0.3).
  • Average monthly admissions decreased from 40 to 24 during the ban period compared to the same months in adjacent years.
  • A non-significant increase in AMI admissions was noted for individuals residing outside Helena during the ban period.

Conclusions:

  • Local laws mandating smoke-free environments may be linked to a reduction in heart disease morbidity.
  • The findings support the potential public health benefits of comprehensive smoking bans on cardiovascular health outcomes.
Abstract

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