Smoking, coronary artery occlusion, and nonfatal myocardial infarction
A. J. Hartz, P. N. Barboriak, A. J. Anderson, R. G. Hoffmannn and J. J. Barboriak
The association of smoking with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) was
studied in 3,997 men who had coronary arteriography. The patients were
subdivided into groups based on coronary occlusion (minimal, moderate, or
severe) and plasma cholesterol level (low, moderate, or high). For men
older than 50 years, smoking was significantly associated with MI in each
occlusion group. For men younger that 50 years, the association was
significant for men with moderate or severe occlusion. In the presence of
higher cholesterol levels there was a stronger association of smoking with
MI, but weaker association association of smoking with coronary occlusion.
These results suggest that the association of smoking with MI does not
depend primarily on the atherogenic effect of smoking. The association
seems to be enhanced by high levels of coronary occlusion and cholesterol.
