Secondhand smoke exposure and cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) among nonsmokers, which has been estimated to be 20% to 30%. SHS may also increase the risk of stroke; however, the link is equivocal compared with that for CHD. In addition, data from clinical and animal studies support the biologic plausibility of the association between SHS exposure and CHD. Recent experimental evidence has provided further insights into the pathophysiology of the cardiovascular damage associated with SHS exposure. Specifically, it has become clear that short-term, intense exposure to SHS may function as an important trigger of clinical manifestations of CHD via multiple mechanisms such as endothelial dysfunction, platelet activation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and alterations of the autonomic nervous system. This notion is further supported by recent studies suggesting that the risk of CHD associated with SHS exposure is likely to be reduced in the absence of high levels of recent exposure to SHS.

Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure and heart rate variability and inflammation among non-smoking construction workers: a repeated measures study

“…Unlike chronic active smoking where mechanisms of cumulative atherogenesis affect CVD risk, a synthesis of epidemiological and toxicological research suggests that SHS exposures may be an acute threat to the cardiovascular system with effects characterized by rapid onset [ 8 ]. In fact, many studies have indicated that short-term exposure to SHS may act as a trigger of acute clinical cardiovascular responses acting through multiple mechanisms including alteration of cardiovascular autonomic system and inflammation [ 9 - 12 ]. Changes in cardiovascular autonomic control are often assessed using measures of heart rate variability (HRV) which is the beat-to-beat variability of the R-R interval of successive normal beats on an electrocardiogram (ECG).…”

The Relationship between Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Disease and the Potential Modifying Effect of Diet in a Prospective Cohort among American Indians: The Strong Heart Study

“…Eichner et al (2010) [ 5 ] reported an elevated risk of nonfatal CVD for current smokers compared to non-smokers among American Indians. Current epidemiologic evidence indicates that exposure to ETS may increase risk of cardiovascular disease by 25–30%, although recent studies suggest this risk may be larger [ 9 , 10 ]. The effects of ETS on CVD are, on average, 80% to 90% as large as those from active smoking [ 11 ].…”