Second-hand smoke bad for heart

This type of damage to blood vessels have been linked to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which can lead to heart attack or stroke.

“Breathing in very low levels of second-hand smoke – the same amount many people and children would encounter out and about in the community – appears to impair one’s vascular function after just 30 minutes of exposure,” the study’s lead investigator, Dr Paul Frey, of the division of cardiology at San Francisco General Hospital, said in a news release from the American College of Cardiology.

“These findings have significant public health implications,” Frey added. “We saw a steep decline in vascular function even after a very short exposure to low levels of second-hand smoke, and that’s very concerning.”

In South Africa, new regulations are being put in place that will reduce the level of second-hand smoke exposure in non-smokers. If approved, new amendments to the Tobacco Control Products will prohibit smokers from smoking on beaches, in outdoor eating areas or at sports or other public events.

 

The study

In the study, 33 healthy non-smokers were exposed to specific concentrations of second-hand smoke. The participants were divided into three groups and exposed to one of three levels of second-hand smoke: clean air; lower levels of lingering smoke found in smokers’€™ homes or a restaurant; and high levels commonly found in a smoky bar.

After measuring the effects of the different levels of second-hand smoke on these non-smokers, the researchers found that a major blood vessel found in the upper arm, called the brachial artery, did not dilate properly in the people exposed to lingering second-hand smoke. This happened, the authors explained, because the inner lining of the blood vessels was not working properly.

The investigators noted that the effect on the participants’ cardiovascular function may have been greater if the study repeated short exposure rather than measure a one-time interval. Repeated exposure would more closely resemble everyday life, they pointed out in the news release.

The researchers concluded that more comprehensive policies are needed to ban public smoking. They also suggested that doctors should talk to their patients about whether or not they live with a smoker or are occasionally around or near people who smoke.

“Smoking remains one of the most preventable risk factors for cardiovascular disease,” Frey said. “We hope this study will reinforce to smokers the danger their habit has – not only on their own heart health, but also to other people.”

Source: HealthDay News

Author

  • healthe

    Health-e News is South Africa's dedicated health news service and home to OurHealth citizen journalism. Follow us on Twitter @HealtheNews

Free to Share

Creative Commons License

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.


Stay in the loop

We love that you love visiting our site. Our content is free, but to continue reading, please register.

Newsletter Subscription