Evaluating the Association Between Current Smokers and Myocardial Infarction: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Smoking contributes to myocardial infarction (MI) by causing endothelial damage, accelerating atherosclerosis, and increasing the risk of thrombosis. Given the high prevalence of smoking in the population, assessing its association with MI is essential. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the association between active smoking and MI by assessing its prevalence in smokers versus non-smokers, based on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Methodology This retrospective, cross-sectional study utilized the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database. The disease variable was MI, and the risk factor was smoking. Control variables included demographic characteristics (age, gender, and race) and socioeconomic factors (education and income). Data were analyzed using cross-tabulation, with results expressed as odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs). Results The total number of participants involved was 407,126. Among them, 49,504 were reported as smokers, and 357,622 were reported as non-smokers. Participants who reported being current smokers had reported higher odds of reporting having MI compared to non-smokers (8.4% vs. 5.3%, OR = 1.627, CI = 1.571-1.685). This was observed across all age groups, with the highest risk observed in the smokers in the 18-24-year age group (OR = 6.15; 95% CI = 3.926-9.434), and the risk was inversely proportional to age. Gender analysis revealed that the odds of MI in current female smokers were 1.823 (95% CI = 1.724-1.927) compared to 1.464 (95% CI = 1.399-1.532) in their male counterparts. Racial stratification revealed that the smokers who belonged to the non-Hispanic/other racial group had a relatively higher OR of 2.002 (95% CI = 1.826-2.191) when compared to the Black non-Hispanic (OR = 1.737, 95% CI = 1.525-1.976) and white non-Hispanic (OR = 1.579; 95% CI = 1.516-1.645) groups. Regarding socioeconomic factors, smokers with advanced education were more likely to report MI compared to those with basic education, with ORs of 1.685 (95% CI = 1.603-1.771) and 1.324 (95% CI = 1.259-1.393), respectively. Participants earning over $50,000 annually had higher odds of MI among smokers (OR = 1.442; 95% CI = 1.339-1.553) than those earning less than $50,000 annually (OR = 1.333; 95% CI = 1.273-1.396). Conclusions The findings of the study revealed that smoking had a strong association with MI across demographic and socioeconomic groups.