Question Title: Heart Disease and Smoking

I don't smoke and never have. However, a friend and I were discussing the significant of smoking on heart disease. The question came up of how frequent is heart disease present in smokers versus non smokers. Accordingly, I have the following questions.

1. Of a typical cardiologist who treats cornary artery disease, what percentage of patients smoke?

2. Has smoking been shown to cause other heart problems besides cornary artery disease?

3. What percentage of cardiologists or cardio-thoracic surgeons smoke?

4. Is stoping smoking the single best thing that Americans can do to improve the health of their heart?

Dear Nate

1. Probably about 30 to 40% currently smoke or formerly smoked.
2. Yes. Can contribute to high blood pressure and can cause stroke.
3. I know of very few cardiologists or cardiothoracic surgeons who smoke (or at least admit to it). Almost none under the age of 40.
4. I think so. If you had too choose between losing weight and stopping smoking, choose the latter. However, even if all smoking were eradicated, the prevalence of heart disease would still be high.

I hope this information is useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provided specific diagnoses and therapies. Feel free to write back with further questions. Good luck!

If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.

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