Weight change in patients attempting to quit smoking post-myocardial infarction.

Background: Current guidelines recommend smoking cessation and weight management for secondary prevention in patients post-myocardial infarction. However, little is known about the effects of smoking cessation on weight change post-myocardial infarction.
Methods: We examined patterns of weight change and its effects on blood pressure and glycemic control using data from a randomized trial investigating the effect of bupropion on smoking cessation in patients post-myocardial infarction. Weight change was compared among 3 groups of patients: those who were completely abstinent (n = 92), those who smoked intermittently (n = 49), and those who smoked persistently (n = 38) during the 12-month follow-up. Analyses were restricted to patients who attended all follow-up visits.
Results: The median weight at baseline was 77.1 kg (interquartile range [IQR], 66.0, 87.5), and 64.3% of patients were overweight/obese (body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m(2)). The median weight gain at 12 months was 4.0 kg (IQR, 0-7.0), with more than one third gaining >5 kg. The proportion of patients who were overweight/obese increased by approximately 10%, and 23.2% of patients moved up a body mass index category. Abstainers gained a median of 4.8 kg (IQR, 1.0, 8.6), intermittent smokers gained a median of 2.0 kg (IQR, -2.0, 5.0), and persistent smokers gained a median of 3.0 kg (IQR, -0.8, 6.0). Weight gain was associated with an increase in blood pressure and requirements for hypoglycemic medications at 12 months.
Conclusions: The majority of patients attempting to quit smoking gain weight 12 months post-myocardial infarction, with abstainers gaining more weight than those who return to smoking. Weight gain was associated with an increased prevalence of hypertension and diabetes.
(Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)