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A new study published in JAMA Network Open highlights the significant impact of smoking on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and sheds light on how long individuals need to remain smoke-free to match the CVD risk levels of those who have never smoked. The findings reveal a dose-dependent relationship between smoking history and cardiovascular risk, offering essential insights for healthcare professionals and public health initiatives focused on reducing smoking-related diseases.
The study, which examined data from over 5.3 million individuals in the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, found that “light ex-smokers” — those who have accumulated less than 8 pack-years (PY) — may experience a CVD risk similar to that of never-smokers relatively soon after quitting. This emphasizes that stopping smoking early, before a heavy lifetime smoking burden is reached, can lead to considerable cardiovascular health improvements.
However, the findings also highlight a stark contrast for heavy ex-smokers. Those with a smoking history of 8 or more pack-years may need more than 25 years of smoking cessation to reduce their CVD risk to levels comparable with those who have never smoked. This indicates that heavy smokers carry a prolonged residual risk, even after quitting, and may require extended monitoring and management to address cardiovascular concerns.
The research underscores the importance of smoking cessation as early as possible. “These results have important implications for clinical practice and public health,” the study authors wrote, emphasizing that any smoking history increases CVD risk and presents a strong case for preventing smoking initiation altogether. For individuals who do start smoking, avoiding a cumulative smoking burden above 8 PY — referred to in the study as a “point of no return” — can lead to marked health improvements following cessation.
The implications of these findings are profound for both individual health and public health strategy. Dr. Akshay Minhas, MD in Community Medicine, remarked on the study’s significance, stating that “this evidence serves as a critical reminder of the benefits of early smoking cessation and the need for robust public health policies to discourage smoking initiation.”
