Smoking cessation after myocardial infarction: A critical review of intervention strategies

A critical review of 12 studies which have investigated smoking cessation after myocardial infarction was performed, comparing three different intervention strategies: usual care, formal smoking cessation programs, multiple risk factor modification programs. The success rate in promoting smoking cessation significantly increased across the three levels of intervention complexity (from 35% to 54.6% to 58.5%; p<0.001). Logistic regression analysis confirmed the type of intervention as a predictor of success after controlling for differences in length of follow-up across studies and year during which the studies took place. Smoking cessation after myocardial infarction is more likely to occur when a specific intervention is provided to patients, either independently or as part of a broader program of risk factors modification.