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[Smoking and atherosclerosis]
Insights
Smoking is a major cardiovascular risk factor, contributing to over 50% of mortality in Austria. The increasing smoking rates, especially among young women, heighten the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular disease epidemiology
- Public health and smoking cessation
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of mortality in industrialized nations, accounting for over 50% of total deaths.
- Austria exhibits an unfavorable mortality trend for ischemic heart diseases, contrasting with other industrialized countries.
- Smoking is a primary CVD risk factor, exacerbated by interactions with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and elevated fibrinogen levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the impact of smoking as a cardiovascular risk factor in Austria.
- To highlight the concerning trend of increased smoking prevalence, particularly among young women.
- To discuss the implications of combined risk factors, including oral contraceptive use, on myocardial infarction and stroke incidence.
Main Methods:
- The study reviews existing data on cardiovascular risk factors and mortality trends in Austria.
- It examines smoking prevalence, focusing on demographic shifts and combined risk factor analysis.
- International strategies for smoking control are referenced in the context of Austrian public health policy.
Main Results:
- Approximately 30% of the Austrian population are smokers, with a notable increase among young women.
- A significant proportion of the population faces elevated CVD risk due to multiple combined risk factors.
- The combination of smoking and oral contraceptive use presents a substantial risk for myocardial infarction and stroke.
Conclusions:
- The rising smoking rates, especially in young women, indicate a growing public health concern for cardiovascular events.
- Integrated smoking control strategies are crucial for mitigating the adverse cardiovascular mortality trends in Austria.
- Austria's tobacco monopoly presents a theoretical advantage for implementing effective smoking cessation measures.
Abstract:
Smoking is one of the three major cardiovascular risk factors, the other two being hyperlipidaemia and hypertension. Cardiovascular diseases contribute in Austria, as well as in other industrialized countries, more than 50% to total mortality. Unlike in other industrialized countries ischaemic heart diseases in Austria have an unfavourable mortality trend, with a substantial relative increase. The atherogenicity of smoking is partly caused by interaction with other risk factors, especially hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and a high fibrinogen level. 30% of the Austrian population are smokers. The percentage has increased over the past few years, especially in young women. Other cardiovascular risk factors are very common too and, hence, a large proportion of the Austrian population is at risk due to a combination of risk factors. Smoking and the use of oral contraceptives is associated with significant risk of both myocardial infarction and stroke. The Austrian trend of cigarette smoking among young women points to a substantial increase in the number of women at risk by this combination of risk factors. Strategies to control the smoking epidemic have been internationally tested. An integrated approach is set out in a document provided by the International Union Against Cancer (1983). In a country like Austria with a tobacco monopoly the conditions for implementing smoking control measures should theoretically be better than in other countries.