Smoking after heart attack lifts risk of second

Make them pay for their treatment out of pocket.

"Young people who continue to smoke after a heart attack are three times more likely to have future heart problems than survivors who kick the habit, Greek researchers said on Saturday.

People who are 35 or younger who keep smoking are far more prone to die from a heart-related event, have a repeat heart attack or need future treatments to clear blocked arteries compared to those who stopped smoking.

The study makes clear that smoking not only promotes a first heart attack, but poses heart risks in younger patients who have survived one, researchers said. The report was presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting in Chicago.

"Patients who have suffered a heart attack very early in life can significantly improve their long-term prognosis by quitting smoking," Dr. Loukianos Rallidis of the University General Hospital Attikon in Greece said in statement."

It it time that we stood up against these system abusers and allowed them the privilege of experiencing the consequences of their actions.