Maltese smokers have three times the risk of suffering from a heart attack, when compared to non-smokers, a new study reveals.  In addition, uncontrolled diabetes increases the risk by four times as much.

The Maltese Acute Myocardial Infarction (MAMI) Study, presented by Ritienne Attard, delved into the effects of smoking, alcohol consumption and diabetes in relation to myocardial infection, more commonly known as a heart attack. About 1,000 individuals participated in the study.

The damage is not only done to smokers themselves, with passive smokers also having an increased risk of such infections, even if exposed to less than one hour of smoking, particularly in a home setting.  Stopping smoking decreases the risk gradually as more years go by without smoking.

Alcohol consumption also increases the chances of suffering from a heart attack, with daily binge drinkers having five times the risk than those who drink moderately.

Uncontrolled diabetes is also highly linked to myocardial infections. In Malta, a total of 14.2% population are diabetic, out of which 7.9% fail to control their blood glucose levels. The findings strongly indicate that controlling blood glucose levels eliminates the risk of myocardial infarction associated with diabetes.

Despite population-wide free access to testing, 2.5% of the Maltese population have undiagnosed diabetes.

The MAMI Study is carried out through a collaboration between the University of Malta and the Department of Health, under the co-ordination of Dr Stephanie Bezzina Wettinger and supported by national funding through the R & I programme (2008) administered by the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), and various MGSS and STEPS students scholarships.