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Smoking trends in hypertensive and normotensive Finns during 1982–1997

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 16, pages 299–303 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Despite the evidence that smoking is one of the main predictors of the cardiovascular disease risk among hypertensive subjects, there are very few data available of the smoking trends of these subjects at public health level. This study assesses the trends in smoking and in smoking cessation advice given by physicians in the hypertensive and normotensive population in Finland during 1982–1997. The data were derived from four independent cross-sectional standardised population surveys conducted in 1982, 1987, 1992 and 1997 in the provinces of North Karelia and Kuopio in eastern Finland and the region of Turku-Loimaa in south-western Finland. Men and women aged 25–64 years, selected randomly from the national population register, were classified to four groups according to their blood pressure level and antihypertensive treatment status: normotensive, unaware hypertensive, aware but not treated hypertensive and treated hypertensive. The total number of participants was 24 083. In men, the prevalence of smoking decreased significantly in both treated hypertensive patients and normotensive subjects during 1982–1997, whereas it increased significantly in treated hypertensive women. The proportion of current smokers who had been advised to stop smoking by their physician was significantly higher in treated hypertensive men compared to the other subgroups of men (P < 0.001). The observed decreasing trend in smoking in men is encouraging, but the increase in smoking among hypertensive women taking antihypertensive medication warrants concern. In the future, the methods used for smoking cessation advice given by health care personnel should be intensified to make this effort more effective

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Pirjo Halonen, MSc for her assistance in statistical analyses. Mika Kastarinen has been supported by a grant from the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health and General Practice, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland

    M Kastarinen

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland

    J Tuomilehto, E Vartiainen, P Jousilahti & A Nissinen

  3. Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    J Tuomilehto

  4. Department of Noncommunicable Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

    P Puska

Authors
  1. M Kastarinen
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  2. J Tuomilehto
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  3. E Vartiainen
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  4. P Jousilahti
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  5. A Nissinen
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  6. P Puska
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Correspondence to M Kastarinen.

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Kastarinen, M., Tuomilehto, J., Vartiainen, E. et al. Smoking trends in hypertensive and normotensive Finns during 1982–1997. J Hum Hypertens 16, 299–303 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001322

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001322

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