Older adults with hypertension did not exhibit significantly different smoking behaviors compared to those without hypertension, despite a higher prevalence of multimorbidity.
Cross-Sectional (n=5,964)
Do elderly patients with hypertension have lower rates of smoking compared to those without hypertension?
Elderly patients with hypertension in Poland do not quit smoking more frequently than those without hypertension, highlighting a gap in secondary prevention and lifestyle modification.
Objective: Smoking is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and considerably worsens the prognosis in patients with hypertension (HT). According to the PolSenior2 (PS2) study, 74.5% of Poles over the age of 60 suffer from HT, while 14.1% of the elderly Polish population are regular smokers. The aim of this study was to assess whether individuals undergoing treatment for HT reduced their smoking habits compared to those without HT in the Polish population aged 60–89 years. Design and method: The analysis was conducted on a representative sample of Polish residents aged 60–89 years. Each randomly selected respondent underwent three blood pressure (BP) measurements during two separate visits. HT was diagnosed based on self-reported awareness of the condition, the use of antihypertensive medications, and BP measurements, applying the 140/90 mmHg criterion, in accordance with the recommendations of the Polish Society of Hypertension (PTNT) and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH). Additionally, a detailed survey was conducted for each respondent, covering smoking habits, self-rated health status (on a scale of 1–10), multimorbidity assessment, and anthropometric measurements. Results: The study sample consisted of 2.243 men (M) and 2.364 women (W) with diagnosed HT, as well as 677 M and 680 W without HT. Among all individuals with HT, 81% were aware of their condition. The table presents the percentages of regular smokers, mean BMI (Body Mass Index) values, self-rated health scores, and multimorbidity prevalence, adjusted to reflect the current demographic structure of the Polish population aged 60–89 years.Conclusions: Individuals with hypertension do not exhibit significantly different smoking behaviors compared to those without hypertension, despite a higher prevalence of multimorbidity, which should serve as an additional motivation for lifestyle modification.
Skorzewska et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension (n=5,964). Hypertension vs. No hypertension was evaluated on Smoking behaviors. Older adults with hypertension did not exhibit significantly different smoking behaviors compared to those without hypertension, despite a higher prevalence of multimorbidity.