Younger smokers are 'EIGHT TIMES more likely to have a heart attack than non-smokers'

Smokers under the age of 50 are eight times more likely to have a heart attack than people who don’t smoke, a study has revealed.

Researchers found smokers in that age bracket were almost 8.5 times more likely to experience a heart attack than either non-smokers or former smokers.

They said smokers aged 50 to 65 are five times more likely to have a heart attack known as a STEMI, while over 65s are at three times as much risk.

Overall, smokers are three times more likely to have a heart attack than former and non-smokers.

A STEMI, or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, refers to the typical pattern seen on an electrocardiogram (ECG), indicating that a large portion of the heart muscle is dying.

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The research, carried out by the University of Sheffield, is published online in the BMJ journal Heart.

It drew on data for more than 1,700 adults treated for a STEMI at South Yorkshire’s regional specialist cardiothoracic centre in Sheffield between 2009 and 2012.

The report also used data from the Office for National Statistics Integrated Household Survey for the South Yorkshire region, which collects information on smoking prevalence.

Almost half of the 1,700 patients (48.5%) were current smokers, with 27% former smokers and 24% non-smokers.

Current smokers tended to be ten or 11 years younger than former or non-smokers when they had their STEMI, researchers found.

Current smokers and ex-smokers were twice as likely to have had previous episodes of coronary artery disease as non-smokers.

Researchers said the much higher risk of a heart attack in younger smokers isn’t easy to explain as the under-50s typically didn’t have risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes that may be seen in older smokers.

“All current smokers must be encouraged into smoking cessation therapy to reduce their risk of acute STEMI, with a focus on the youngest smokers whose increased risk is often unrecognised,” said the study.

Cardiologist Dr Yaron Arbel, from the Tel Aviv Medical Center, Israel, said: “Most smokers know that smoking is bad.

“However, exact numbers have a tendency to hit home more often.

“Therefore studies like the present one are especially important.

“Our goal should be in providing them with the tools to achieve abstinence. In difficult cases, even reducing the number of cigarettes smoked daily might make a difference.”