THE PREVALENCE OF SMOKING AMONGST PATIENTS ATTENDING AN OUTPATIENT LIPID CLINIC

The smoking habits of 184 attendees (mean age 47 years, 101 men) at a hospital-based lipid clinic were reviewed in conjunction with a measur ement of serum thiocyanate level which is a marker for smoking over th e previous two weeks. Advice against smoking is routinely given at the clinic. We found 84 (46%) patients to remain active smokers of whom 7 8 admitted to smoking and 6 were identified on the basis of a serum th iocyanate level greater than 100 umol/l. Smoking was more prevalent am ongst women than men (52% v 33%). We have identified a high proportion of patients attending an outpatient lipid clinic as remaining active smokers despite receiving advice against cigarette smoking. This empha sises the need for more effective counselling against smoking in a mul tiple risk factor intervention approach to ischaemic heart disease.