Reasons for quitting smoking in patients with first-ever ischemic stroke

Ninety-eight cigarette smokers with ischemic stroke were recruited between December 2006 and December 2008 in an urban hospital. Smoking status and reasons for quit attempts after stroke were assessed at 3-month follow-up. 73% of patients (72/98) made at least one quit attempt between stroke onset and the follow-up visit. 47% of quit attempters (34/72) declared that stroke was the major reason for quitting. The patients reporting stroke as the major reason for quitting were more likely to be abstinent at the follow-up as compared to the patients who did not (61.8 vs. 36.8%). The study suggests that some motives for quitting smoking are associated with a higher chance for short-term abstinence in stroke patients.