June 19, 2013JAMA Surgery174 citations
View Full PaperSmoking and the Risk of Mortality and Vascular and Respiratory Events in Patients Undergoing Major Surgery
Structured PICO
Does smoking cessation at least 1 year before major surgery reduce postoperative mortality and vascular and respiratory events in patients undergoing major surgery?
P
Population
Patients undergoing major surgery
I
Intervention
Smoking cessation at least 1 year before major surgery
C
Comparator
Current smokers
O
Outcome
Postoperative mortalityhard clinical
Smoking cessation at least 1 year prior to major surgery eliminates the excess risk of postoperative mortality and reduces arterial and respiratory events compared to current smoking.
Abstract
Smoking cessation at least 1 year before major surgery abolishes the increased risk of postoperative mortality and decreases the risk of arterial and respiratory events evident in current smokers. These findings should be carried forward to evaluate the value and cost-effectiveness of intervention in this setting. Our study should increase awareness of the detrimental effects of smoking-and the benefits of its cessation-on morbidity and mortality in the surgical setting.