Acute Myocardial Infarction Hospitalization Statistics: Apparent Decline Accompanying an Increase in Smoke-Free Areas

Recent research suggests that the introduction of antismoking regulations reduces the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The aim of this study was to analyze changes in AMIs in the Barcelona metropolitan area in Spain following implementation of the 2006 antismoking law. Data was collected on all discharges from hospitals funded by the Catalan Health Service in 2004-2006. All patients aged over 24 years who lived in the area and who received a primary diagnosis of AMI were included. Annual AMI hospitalization rates, with 95% confidence intervals, were estimated for each year and stratified according to age and sex. The 2004 rate was higher than the 2005 rate for most age and sex groups, though confidence intervals overlapped. The 2006 rates were lower than the 2005 rates for all age groups, and there was no overlap in confidence intervals in men. In conclusion, the introduction of regulations on smokefree areas was accompanied by a reduction in the AMI hospitalization rate.

Estudios recientes indican que regulaciones del consumo de tabaco reducen los infartos agudos de miocardio (IAM). Se analiza la evolución del IAM en la región metropolitana de Barcelona con la ley de 2006. Se obtuvo información sobre altas financiadas por el Servicio Catalán de la Salud para 2004-2006. Se incluyó a los pacientes mayores de 24 años residentes en la zona con diagnóstico principal de IAM. Se estimaron tasas anuales de hospitalización por IAM estratificadas por edad y sexo con intervalos de confianza (IC) del 95% para cada año. Las tasas en 2004 son mayores que en 2005 para la mayoría de los estratos, pero los IC se solapan. Las tasas en 2006 son menores que en 2005 para todos los grupos, y los IC no se solapan en varones. Las regulaciones sobre espacios sin humo se acompañan de una disminución de los IAM hospitalizados.