The influence of subsequent cigarette smoking habits on causes and mode of death in survivors of unstable angina or myocardial infarction

Abstract

Information about the cigarette smoking habits at the time of death was available for 261 male decedents who had survived a previous bout of confirmed unstable angina or myocardial infarction. The cause and mode of death were known for 259 of these subjects. Smoking habits at time of death did not appear to affect the mode or cause of death. Previous reports of a higher ratio of sudden death compared to deaths from myocardial infarction in smokers compared to non-smokers were not confirmed by us. A previous report of a high incidence of suicide and accidental death in healthy subjects who stopped smoking was not confirmed amongst these survivors of a coronary event. No case of suicide and only one accidental death was noted amongst 87 of 282 subjects who had stopped smoking after a coronary attack.