Last week I had a patient who was admitted with a heart attack. It was his second heart attack within a year.  He is only 45 years old and self confessed that he smokes like ‘nobody’s business’ (up to 40 cigs a day even AFTER his first heart attack!).

When I candidly advised him to consider quiting the habit, he became defensive. These were some his words to me:

“Doctor, let me tell you ah, smoking is not the issue here. People get heart attack because of all the fatty stuff they eat and it clogs up their vessels”

“My brother who doesn’t smoke at all, already has 3 heart attacks and he just went for a bypass surgery”

“Mahathir also had to undergo 2 bypasses and he doesn’t smoke”

“You see, people who don’t smoke also get lung cancer what. How can they say smoking causes lung cancer”

“Smoking is not dangerous at all, it is all the other stuffs that make a person unhealthy”

I reminded him that his brother, whilst not a smoker, had his first heart attack at the age of 56 while he has already had 2 heart attacks and he is only 45.

I also reminded him that (Tun Dr.) Mahathir is almost twice his age.

And yes, I agree that people who do not smoke also die of heart attacks or lung cancer. I tried telling him that smoking is a major risk factor for both these conditions but he cut me off mid-sentence.

In the end, I decided to just let him be. I had many other heart patients to see that morning who were more than willing to quit smoking and wished they didn’t start the habit in the first place.

Afterall, it’s his heart, not mine. Obviously he and I are not connected karmically.

Oops! I just denied the denialist!

Thurs, 200907 @ 0749; post-birthday blues complicated by 3rd day of withdrawal symptoms from notebook deprivation.