Heart Diseases Caused by Secondhand Smoke
About 90 percent of U.S. nonsmokers are exposed to tobacco smoke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nonsmokers that are exposed to secondhand smoke have an increased risk of fatal and nonfatal heart diseases. A study published in the May 1997 issue of the science journal "Circulation" found that exposure to secondhand smoke at home or in the workplace nearly doubles the risk of having a heart attack.
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Short Time Exposure
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported in 2006 that exposure to secondhand smoke immediately affects a nonsmoker's cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease. There are immediate effects on blood and blood vessels. Even a short time in a smoky room makes blood platelets stickier, which makes blood clots that can block blood flow to the heart more likely to form. Short exposure to secondhand smoke can produce the same effects in a nonsmoker's body that occur in an active smoker. People exposed to smoke a few times a week are 15 percent more likely to develop heart disease.
Secondhand Smoke and Heart Disease Risk Factors
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Adults who breathe five hours of secondhand smoke have higher LDL cholesterol levels that can clog the heart's arteries. Secondhand smoke also lowers HDL, the good cholesterol levels, and causes insulin resistance. The nicotine in cigarettes causes a high increase in heart rate and blood pressure, which makes the heart work harder.
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Effects
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Secondhand smoke is a major preventable cause of heart disease. It prevents the blood from delivering oxygen and nutrients to the heart. It speeds up hardening of the arteries, damages the layer of cells lining the blood vessels and makes the aorta less elastic. Active smokers have a filter on their cigarettes, but the secondhand smoke inhaled by nonsmokers is more toxic because there is no filter. The effects can be irreversible.
Considerations
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Exposure to secondhand smoke causes inflammation and vascular disease. It can make a heart attack more severe and increase the amount of tissue damage after a heart attack. Nonsmokers who already have heart disease or a risk of developing it are more likely to suffer more damage or die early when exposed to secondhand smoke.
Warning
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The 2003 European Society of Cardiology Congress reported studies that suggest secondhand smoke at work kills three people a day. There's no evidence that ventilation such as fans, air conditioners or open windows can protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke.
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