Will Pavia
The Times and Sunday Times for less
The number of heart attack patients being admitted to emergency wards has fallen sharply in more than half of England’s hospital trusts since smoking was banned in public places.
The figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, are an early indication of the impact of the smoking ban on heart disease rates in England. Some hospitals have seen the number of cases fall by 41 per cent since last July.
The British Heart Foundation said that it showed the ban was the “most significant public health initiative this century”.
Studies in Scotland and Ireland, which introduced a public-smoking ban in 2006, showed hospital admissions for heart attacks falling by 17 and 14 per cent respectively. Comparable evidence has come from France and Italy.
These drops in the rate of heart attacks have been attributed to a large number of people stopping smoking, and far fewer people being exposed to airborne toxins through passive smoking.
The Government has not yet published figures documenting the effects of the ban in England. But NHS records show that there were 1,384 fewer heart attacks in the nine months after the legislation was introduced than in the same period a year earlier.
The figures, obtained by the Daily Mail, show admissions for heart attacks from 114 trusts: 66 saw a drop in admissions compared with the same period the year before. The most striking figures came from Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, where there was a 41 per cent fall, or 418 fewer cases.
In the remaining 48 trusts, the number of admissions remained the same or increased slightly.
The Department of Health welcomed the figures as “good news” but added that it was too early to attribute falls in heart attack rates to the new legislation.
Rates of heart disease were falling before smoking in public was banned in European countries, and various factors, including mild weather, can contribute to a fall. Nevertheless, the health benefits of stopping smoking are well established. A year after a person quits smoking, the risk of a heart attack falls to half that of a smoker.
Nicholas Boon, of the British Cardiovascular Society, said: “When you place these figures with the research in Scotland, Ireland, France and Rome, it is consistent with the observation that the ban has been followed by improvements in heart attack rates.”
Win a luxury weekend to Newcastle and its neighbour Gateshead, find out more here
Risk, resilience and embracing new technology
Industry sectors news at a glance. Interactive heatmap, video and podcast
Discover the collective power of smart thinking. Submit a solution and be in with a chance to win a £500 Selfridges voucher
The inside track on current trends in the charity, not for profit and social enterprise sectors
Everything the Business Traveller needs to know to make a better trip
Enjoy further reading from Travel to Fashion, Business to Sport, discover more
Shortcuts to help you find sections and articles
2006
21,950
2005
39,950
£POA
Car Insurance
£150 k
Mark Spiers and Associates
UK
Attractive salary
Waitrose
London,South East & Southern England
£63,000 + benefits
Environment Agency
Wales
£80,000+Bonus
YMCA
East London
Completely London
Luxury Condo's in Manhattan with NYC views
World Cup Investment Opp - 2 bed gated apartment
Aspirational Homes from an Inspirational Company
With Virgin Atlantic
From Only £485pp
Experience Zambia from £1,725pp
with Africa Travel
S/c accomm in beautiful mainland Greece.
Great offers for May and June
Great travel insurance deals online
.
Contact our advertising team for advertising and sponsorship in Times Online, The Times and The Sunday Times, or place your advertisement.
Times Online Services: Dating | Jobs | Property Search | Used Cars | Holidays | Births, Marriages, Deaths | Subscriptions | E-paper
News International associated websites: Globrix Property Search | Property Finder | Milkround
Copyright 2009 Times Newspapers Ltd.
This service is provided on Times Newspapers' standard Terms and Conditions. Please read our Privacy Policy.To inquire about a licence to reproduce material from Times Online, The Times or The Sunday Times, click here.This website is published by a member of the News International Group. News International Limited, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1XY, is the holding company for the News International group and is registered in England No 81701. VAT number GB 243 8054 69.
How on earth can years of smoking cut heart attack by 41% in just over a year. The damage has been done!!! How many people gave up with the smoking ban I wonder, out of 13 smokers I know, only one gave up but one restarted.
Jackie, Maidstone, England
This article isn't very good. It even manages to omit the claimed overall drop of 3% - in line with the long term downward trend over recent years. The Scottish "study" existed only as a Glasgow University press release and was named in the Times 22 Dec 07 as one of that year's top ten Junk Stats.
Jonathan Bagley, manchester,
If fewer people go into hospital fewer of them will get MRSA. This is a triumph for public health even if the reasons are not entirely proven.
Jane McGrother, Buxton, County
All that money saved on Heart disease / treatments and yet we still have to pray that we don't get MRSA when being admitted for far less serious ailments, who's propaganda machine was this article for ?,why are people still contracting this easily controlled disease from a so called "Health Service"
Paul Green, Neasden, England
What a strange lot of disbelieving responses. Can't someone simply applaud the benefits of the ban and see it for what it most probably is - good for people. Less smoking means better health!
Stephen, Cardiff, Wales
What a load of tosh propaganda. So when heart attack figures are on the increase what will they blame, global warming? Why are the taxpayers still funding the work shy non producing muppets at ASH. Surely we can use this money to help clean our filthy hospitals as they kill more than smoking does.
Cromwell, Leeds, England
'the tireless work of GP's .... promoting healthy living,treating diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, ....lowering cholesterol '.
And don't forget all the extra money that rolled in for them when they did - at the expense of sufferers from other, less lucrative, complaints.
Sarah, Carcassonne, France
This is welcome news but the ban is not the full story. It is sad that the tireless work of GP's and their primary care staff in promoting healthy living & smoking cessation and,in particular, in treating cardiovascular disease ,hypertension,& diabetes and lowering cholesterol goes unrecognised here
amanda, dereham, norfolk
This is a welcome trend but ,as the article suggests ,the ban is not the full story.It is sad that the tireless work of GP's and primary care staff in promoting healthy living,treating diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, and in particular in lowering cholesterol goes unrecognised here
amanda, dereham, norfolk
All nonsense really. There will probably be a short term reduction in death by various deseases but once the initial few years boost has been used up, the same amount of people will die each year as they did before the ban. It will just happen at a slightly higher age. Lies, damned lies and stats.
Mark Chisholm, Dereham, UK
This is welcome news , but it is not the whole picture.There are other factors at work here,not least the tireless work put in by GP's and their primary care colleagues whose work with diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, cholesterol lowering , and smoking not always recognised .
amanda, dereham, norfolk
Ae we supposed to believe this one after the Helana heart attack scam figues, Scotlands figures, it would be good if it were true. The 30min heart attack has already been disproved I believe, and that was from one of the antis once upon a time hero, Michael Siegel ! BHF charity can shut up shop then
mandyv, cambs, uk
How incredibly short-sighted! I feel very sorry for all those paramedics, ambulance drivers, and A&E staff who will be made redundant because of this selfish initiative!
All these health workers must eat too! This is an outrage!
Steve R, London, UK
Quite right Lee, and the figures quoted for Ireland and Scotland were also shown to be fallacious within months of being published by the official health service figures. As any honest specialist will tell you it is simply just medically in possible to reverse any heart damage in less than a year.
Robert Feal-Marrtinez, Swindon, England
In South Carolina, heart attack admissions fell by 12.5% from 2003 to 2004. Is this a result of no smoking ban in South Carolina. In Nebraska, heart attack admissions fell by 28.5%from 2003 to 2004. Is this because there is no smoking ban in Nebraska?
Sheri, canton, USA
The non smokers have had their way , now summer is here the outside seems so more attractive, but does that stop the whingeing no. I am a non drinker I say ban all alcohol, all those smelly breathed drunks rolling about ,causing mischieve , and running over people disgraceful :-)
Alex, Southampton,
Yes , more Propaganda from the Anti smoking lobby , passive smoke has been proved to be harmless over a 40 year study carried out in America but the Antismoking Bigots had their way and pressurised Governments for Smoking bans ! ,Smoking rates are up 2% in Ireland by the way and we will be next ?
chris , Blackpool, Lancashire
If only the smoking ban in England could make a larger impact on smoking in the street. In the West Country it is still at times difficult to avoid those puffing away, with their smoke hitting you square in the face/lungs...yuck!!
Philip Taylor, Henstridge, UK
This is excellent news. Unfortunately a vocal minority are still in denial about the effects of smoking on health, but anything that prevents people from smoking - and more importantly, prevents my having to breathe their smoke - is a good thing.
Scott, Glasgow, UK
Yet more seemingly positive propaganda for an illiberal law, the fact that in 48 trusts the figures remained the same or in fact increased, therefore negating the fall in cases elsewhere, what are the overall figures? or are these so small as to make the headline claim unwarranted.
Les, Southport, England