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Risk of Death Reduced After Quitting Smoking
(May 7, 2008) - Not smoking in the first place is the best way to protect yourself from dying from the effects of smoking, but if you do smoke, quitting can lower your death risk in just a few years. (Read about "Quit Smoking") Women who quit smoking significantly reduce their risk of death from coronary heart disease (Read about "Coronary Heart Disease") within 5 years and have about a 20 percent lower risk of death from smoking-related cancers (Read about "Cancer: What It Is") within that time period, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Globally, approximately 5 million premature deaths were attributable to smoking in 2000. The World Health Organization projects by 2030 that tobacco-attributable deaths will annually account for 3 million deaths in industrialized countries and 7 million in developing countries," the authors write.
Researchers assessed the relationship between cigarette smoking and smoking cessation on total and cause-specific mortality in women by analyzing data from the Nurses' Health Study, an observational study of 104,519 female participants. A total of 12,483 deaths occurred in this group, 4,485 (35.9 percent) among never smokers, 3,602 (28.9 percent) among current smokers, and 4,396 (35.2 percent) among past smokers.
The researchers found a significant 13 percent reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality within the first 5 years of quitting smoking compared with continuing to smoke, and the excess risk decreased to the level of a never smoker 20 years after quitting, with some causes taking more or less time. "Significant trends were observed with increasing years since quitting for all major cause-specific outcomes. A more rapid decline in risk after quitting smoking compared with continuing to smoke was observed in the first 5 years for vascular diseases compared with other causes."
"Much of the reduction in the excess risk for these causes of death were realized within the first 5 years for coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease."
For lung cancer (Read about "Lung Cancer") mortality, a significant 21 percent reduction in risk was observed within the first 5 years compared with continuing smokers, but the excess risk did not disappear for 30 years. Past smokers with 20 to less than 30 years of cessation had an 87 percent reduction in risk of lung cancer mortality compared with current smokers. When including the other smoking-related cancers, the excess risk approached a never smoker's risk more than 20 years after quitting smoking.
Note: Statements and conclusions of study authors that are published here are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect this hospital's policy or position. This hospital makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability.
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