Research reveals that smoking bans are successfully combating the number of heart attack victims.

Studies have revealed that smoking bans have had a significant effect in reducing the number of heart attacks.

The research, from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, looked at the ‘Cardiovascular Effect of Bans in Smoking in Public Places’. It said that passive smoking is associated with a 30% increase of AMI, and the research looked at whether this was reduced as a consequence of smoking bans in the workplace and in public places.

Results revealed that hospital admissions for people suffering acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or a heart attack decreases by 17% after smoking bans are implemented. Significantly, those groups which appear to be benefiting the most from the ban are younger people and non-smokers.

Researchers looked at articles published from 1 January 2004 and 30 April 2009, which identified the incidence rates of AMI per 100,000 before and after smoking bans. The report concluded that “Smoking bans in public places and workplaces are significantly associated with a reduction in AMI incidence.” However, it stressed that this was particularly successful if the ban was enforced over several years.

British Heart Foundation (BHF) spokesperson, Ellen Mason, commented on the research: “These studies add to the growing evidence that a ban on smoking in public places seems to have a positive impact on heart attack rates, which is clearly good news for our nation’s heart health.

“The statistics also show how quickly the benefits can be felt after a smoking ban is implemented and indicate how dangerous second-hand smoke can be to the heart.”

According to statistics from the BHF in the UK alone, 146,000 people suffer a heart attack every year and smoking causes around 25,000 deaths from heart and circulatory disease each year, with around one in five premature deaths from heart and circulatory disease linked to smoking.

The Department of Health (DoH) claims that at least 70,000 lives have been saved by its Stop Smoking Services in the 10 years since it was launched. Together with the country-wide smoking ban, it says that smoking among the general population has dropped from 28% to 21%.