Second Hand Smoke Exposure Increases Risk of Heart Attacks

Second hand tobacco smoke contains many toxic chemicals including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, particulates and many cancer causing (carcinogenic) poly-aromatic hydrocarbons.  The carbon monoxide and particulates exposure can increase risk of heart attacks, strokes and  atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

A large study of 135,233 European adults who never smoked explored the relationships between exposure to second hand tobacco smoke and rates of heart disease and strokes. The non-smokers exposed to second hand smoke had significantly higher rates of heart disease and stroke deaths as compared to the non-smokers who were not exposed to major amounts of second hand smoke.  Those non-smokers married or living with a heavy smoker (more than 30 cigarettes daily) had a 2.94 time greater risk of dying of heart disease as compared to a non-smoker not exposed to second hand smoke!

I urge all readers to fight for indoor non smoking laws!  Several studies have reported that rates of asthma and heart disease in communities have go down significantly after communities have enacted bans in smoking in workplaces, restaurants and public buildings.

This research by Gallo et al is now in press in Epidemiology.