In Case You Still Smoke...

By Patrick Driessen

No surprise: Non-smokers live longer and have less cardiovascular disease than those who smoke, according to a 30-year follow-up study of 54,000 men and women in Norway. Smoking, say the investigators, is "strongly" related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality from various causes.

The results reflect what many other studies have indicated, but, says investigator Professor Haakon Meyer from the University of Oslo and Norwegian Institute of Public Health, these results provide a picture of the long-term, absolute "real life" risk.

Behind his conclusions lies a far-reaching follow-up study which began in 1974 with an invitation to every middle aged man and woman (aged 35-49) living in three counties of Norway to take part in a basic cardiovascular screening examination. The invitation had a huge response, with 91% attending for the baseline screen.
Over the next three decades deaths were recorded by linkage to the Norwegian population registry and, between 2006 and 2008, those surviving responded to a follow-up questionnaire. This allowed division of the participants according to their smoking status - never-smokers, ex-smokers, current smokers of 1-9 cigarettes a day, 10-19 cigarettes a day and more than 20 cigarettes a day (the last group referred to as "heavy smokers").
Results showed that, from the original 54,075 participants, 13,103 had died by the time of follow-up. But it was a significant finding that, of these, 45% of the heavy-smoking men had died during the 30 years, compared to just 18% of the never-smokers. Similarly, 33% of the heavy-smoking women had died, but only 13% of the never-smokers.

"These results show what a tremendous impact smoking has on mortality," says Professor Meyer. "We are talking about very high numbers of people." A similar pattern was seen in the cardiovascular incidence rates reported in the follow-up questionnaire. In men the cumulative incidence of myocardial infarction was 10% in never-smokers and 21% in heavy smokers; in women 4% in never-smokers and 11% in heavy smokers. There were also strong associations found between smoking and stroke and diabetes.

"What these results show is the cumulative long-term association between smoking and death and cardiovascular risk," says Professor Meyer. "Around two-thirds of the middle-aged heavy-smoking men and half the heavy-smoking women had died or had a cardiovascular disease within the next 30 years! The incidence was much lower in never-smokers and reflects the tremendously adverse effect of smoking on health and longevity. The difference in outcome between the never-smokers and heavy smokers was substantial.

Hopefully these new shocking research findings will be a WAKE-UP CALLL for you!

My personal view points & advice: Anyone can give up a habit or addiction! Anyone can change mindset and behaviour! So...anyone can give up smoking!

You can stop smoking using all kinds of methodologies, information and support. You are not on your own. If you do not believe that the available processes and tools to help you stop will be sufficient for you, your doctor/GP can help you to stop smoking by prescribing you successful medication like Chantix/Champix.

However; it all starts with YOUR mindset and will power! YOU have to decide to give up smoking and YOU will need to have the desire and discipline to succeed in it! Medication and treatments can only support you to stop smoking. They are a tool, NOT the solution. It's YOU who will need to do the real work to stop smoking as part of successfully managing your own health.

Based on my own experience I can tell you that giving up smoking is the best health investment you can make! It will improve the quality and quantity of your life in each and every way! Success guaranteed!

Make stop smoking your top priority! You can't buy your health or life back after years of neglecting it while you earn your living!

Make this a Positive & Fruitful day....unless you have other plans!

Thanks, warm regards & success,

Patrick Driessen