Cor Vasa 2011, 53(4-5):253-256 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2011.056

Underestimated and unknown effects of passive smoking

Aleš Linhart^*, Michael Aschermann

II. interní klinika kardiologie a angiologie, 1. lékařská fakulta Univerzity Karlovy a Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice, Praha, Česká republika

Smoking is one of the most important risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis, malignant diseases, lung cancer in particular, and chronic respiratory diseases, and chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) in particular. Besides active smoking, these diseases are also promoted by environmental smoking exposure, i. e., passive smoking. Inhalation of environmental tobacco smoke induces multiple functional cardiovascular changes inducing accelerated atherosclerosis. In exposed individuals, the risk of coronary and cerebrovascular diseases increases. As shown by data from countries where smoking ban in public places was enforced by law, the incidence of acute myocardial infarction decreased rapidly by 17% on average.
Along with cardiovascular complications, passive smoking promotes the risk of respiratory diseases including asthma, COLD, and lung carcinoma. In COLD patients environmental smoke exposure decreases their quality of life and exercise capacity. Again, smoking restrictions lead to a rapid decrease in COLD outpatient follow-up visits and hospital admissions.
The aim of this review is to summarize risks associated with passive smoking. Assessment of environmental smoke exposure should become an integral part of clinical assessment in patients with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

Keywords: Passive smoking; Cardiovascular risk; Atherosclerosis

Published: April 1, 2011  Show citation