Patterns of smoking behaviour in patients following cardiac surgery. A prospective study

To describe patterns of smoking behaviour in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

A prospective population-based study of patients undergoing cardiac surgery between September 2004 and September 2005. Smoking behaviour and socio-demographic variables were obtained by questionnaires at baseline, six and 12 months after surgery.

At baseline 534 patients (median age 69 years, 23% females) were included, 89% responded after six and 12 months. At baseline 14% (n = 74) were current smokers, 59% (n = 316) were former smokers and 27% (n = 143) had never smoked. At six months 8% were current smokers (n = 36) while 9% (n = 40) were current smokers at 12 months. A total of nine smokers had relapsed at 12 months.

About half of the current smokers gave up smoking after cardiac surgery. Changes in smoking behaviour were most likely to occur during the first six months. This supports that smoking cessation interventions should continue after discharge. Cardiac surgery can serve as a teachable moment; an opportunity to encourage patients to give up smoking and prevent relapses among those who stopped smoking before surgery.