Quitting smoking after heart attack linked to improved mood: Study

The researchers analyzed the associations between smoking and depression after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, education, marital status, physical activity, alcohol use, diabetes, history of cardiovascular disease, cardiac rehabilitation attendance, and high-dose statins at discharge.

The analysis was conducted on the 411 smokers who were depressed at the time of hospitalization. The researchers examined whether those who quit in the following year were more likely to improve their depressive symptoms in comparison to those who continued smoking. Compared to smokers who continued the habit in the year after their heart event, those who quit smoking were more likely to see an improvement in their depressive symptoms and be classified as "not depressed" (adjusted odds ratio 2.10).

Study author Ms. Kristina Krasieva, a medical student at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, said: "Previous research has shown that smoking cessation is associated with mental health benefits and our study extends this pattern to heart attack survivors. We hope the findings will encourage smokers who have suffered a heart attack to kick the habit."

Reference:

Abstract title: Impact of smoking cessation on depression after acute coronary syndrome.