Quitting smoking may benefit heart faster than thought: study

Cigarette smokers over 65 years old who quit can reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease- related deaths to the level of never-smokers sooner than previously thought, according to a new research presented Wednesday.

Previous research showed that older people who smoked less than 32 "pack years" could lower their risks of developing heart failure or dying from heart failure, heart attacks and strokes to the same level as those who had never smoked 15 years after they gave up smoking. One pack-year of smoking would mean that someone had smoked one package of cigarettes (20 cigarettes) daily for one year.

In their study, researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Medicine analyzed 13 years of medical information compiled in the Cardiovascular Health Study, which started in 1989. They compared 853 people who quit smoking 15 or fewer years before with 2,557 people who had never smoked.

Of the 853 former smokers, 319 had smoked less than 32 pack years. All participants were over age 65 years of age. Results were adjusted for age, gender and race.

They found that many of the former smokers in the study were able to reduce their risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death in less than 15 years with a median time of eight years.

"It's good news," Ali Ahmed, senior researcher and professor of cardiovascular disease at the university, said in a statement. " Now there's a chance for even less of a waiting period to get a cleaner bill of cardiovascular health."

Smokers who smoked less than 32 pack years but quit up to 15 or more years ago still had higher risks of dying from causes unrelated to cardiovascular health, such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, the researchers said. Former smokers who smoked more than 32 pack years had higher risks of dying from any health condition.

"Smoking is the most preventable cause of early death in America -- if you smoke, quit and quit early!" Ahmed said.

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013 in Dallas.