Comparative Study of Smokers, Ex-Smokers, and Nonsmokers who Have Experienced Myocardial Infarction Original Article

Smoking has been associated with an increase in morbi-dity and mortality due to atherosclerotic coronary artery di-sease, which has been confirmed in several studies 1-9. This association results from the multiple noxious effects of smo-king on the mechanisms of atherogenesis and thrombosis, and in the vasomotor and arrhythmogenic mechanisms1. Several studies have shown that smoking, at the ti-me of acute myocardial infarction, is not a risk factor for sub-sequent death 1-5. Smokers have a better in-hospital clinical evolution independent of thrombolytic therapy 1,2, and some studies 3,5-8 have reported that smokers tend to have a better prognosis. Surprisingly, smoking has even appeared as a factor of better prognosis after the event 5. Some multicenter studies, however, have emphasized that after adjusting for age and other variables, no statistica