RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The success rate of smoking cessation by patients with coronary artery disease is lower than expected and reportedly this rate increases once doctors intervene. The purpose of this study is to help doctors mediate their patients to quit smoking by investigating of smoking behavior following the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and promoting methods of smoking cessation with knowledge of factors influencing smoking cessation. METHODS: A total of 245 male coronary artery disease patients confirmed by coronary angiography in two university hospitals located in Seoul participated in the survey. RESULTS: The smoking cessation rate among the subjects for more than one year was 39.6%. More than 90% of the subjects were aware of the doctors warning about smoking, but no more than 6% of them heard how to actually stop smoking from their doctors. In the smoking cessation group the stress score was lower and the exercise performance rate was higher than the smoking group. Logistic regression analysis revealed the abstinence group succeeded in smoking cessation at higher rate than the drinking group (odds ratio 0.30; 95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.65). CONCLUSION: In recommending that a patient quit smoking, doctors should inform patients that drinking could be a detrimental factor and should promote a smoking cessation program including exercise and stress control. Doctors should educate patients that smoking cessation program will be more effective than sheer will power.