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Smoking in Patients With Chronic Cardiovascular Disease During COVID-19 Lockdown
Frédéric Chagué1,2, Mathieu Boulin3, Jean-Christophe Eicher1
1Service de Cardiologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Dijon, France.
Insights
During the COVID-19 lockdown, cardiovascular disease patients showed decreased healthy behaviors. Notably, one-third of smokers increased tobacco use, highlighting the need for targeted smoking cessation strategies in vulnerable populations.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
- Lifestyle behaviors significantly impact CVD prognosis and management.
- The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns presented unprecedented challenges to patient health behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate health-related behaviors, specifically tobacco consumption, in patients with CVD during the initial COVID-19 lockdown.
- To identify factors associated with smoking status and changes in tobacco consumption during this period.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 344 patients with chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) or congestive heart failure (CHF).
- Data collected via phone questionnaires after 5 weeks of COVID-19 lockdown.
- Analysis compared smokers and non-smokers regarding demographics, lifestyle changes, and psychological impact.
Main Results:
- 12.5% of patients were current smokers; none quit during lockdown.
- Smokers were younger, more often diabetic, urban dwellers, and in the CCS cohort.
- One-third of smokers increased tobacco consumption due to stress/boredom, not media influence.
Conclusions:
- The first COVID-19 lockdown was associated with a decline in healthy lifestyle behaviors among CVD patients.
- A significant proportion of smokers with CVD increased tobacco consumption, emphasizing the critical need for tailored interventions.
- Targeted prevention and cessation strategies are crucial for CVD patients, especially during public health crises.
Objectives:
This cross-sectional study aims to investigate health-related behaviors including tobacco consumption among patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), during the first COVID-19-related lockdown.
Methods:
After 5 weeks of COVID-19 lockdown, 220 patients with chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) and 124 with congestive heart failure (CHF) answered a phone questionnaire.
Results:
Among these 344 patients, 43 (12.5%) were current smokers, and none had quit during the lockdown. When compared with non-smokers, smokers were 15 years younger, more often diabetic, more likely to live in an urban than a rural lockdown location, and more often in the CCS cohort (p = 0.011). Smokers described greater psychological impairment, but their rates of decrease in physical activity and of increase in screen time were similar to non-smokers. More than one-third (13/43) increased their tobacco consumption, which was mainly related to stress or boredom, but not driven by media messages on a protective effect of nicotine.
Conclusions:
During the first COVID-19 lockdown, we found a decrease in favorable lifestyle behaviors among patients with CVD. Strikingly, one-third of smokers with CCS or CHF increased their tobacco consumption. Given the major impact of persistent smoking in patients with CVD, this highlights the need for targeted prevention strategies, in particular during such periods.
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