Mahmarian, et al. "Nicotine Patch Therapy in Smoking Cessation Reduces the Extent of Exercise-Induced Myocardial Ischemia" Journal of the American College of Cardiology, July 1997.
Nicotine Patches Reduce Risk of Myocardial Ischemia
Patients with heart disease are often advised to stop smoking in an effort to reduce their risk of heart attack, and nicotine patches are a powerful therapy to help smokers quit. However, physicians have been concerned about the safety of nicotine patch use by those with coronary artery disease. Now, a study of patients with heart disease who used nicotine patches shows that the patches are a safe smoking cessation therapy for this group, and that they may also improve blood and oxygen flow to the heart.
The researchers studied 36 heavy smokers (average 31 cigarettes a day for 40 years) receiving treatment from nicotine patches (14 mg and 21 mg doses) and found a statistically significant increase in the amount of time the patients were able to exercise after using the patches. In addition, the patches reduced the extent of the loss of blood and oxygen flow to the heart, called ischemia, during exercise by as much as one-third, even though the patients exercised more frequently. An accompanying editorial comment by Dr. Thomas Kottke suggests that cardiologist should use this new information to reinforce for both patients and their colleagues that smoking cessation is the most significant step that can be taken for individuals with coronary heart disease.
For research information contact: John J. Mahmarian, MD at (713)793-1891
For copies of this study contact: The American College of Cardiology, Communications Department at (301) 897-2628
For information about NicoDerm CQ nicotine patch contact: Angie Cecil at [email protected] or (212) 872-8117.
RSS