BMJ  2006;332:1044-1045 (6 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7549.1044

Editorial

Passive smoking's role in diabetes

More evidence of the harmfulness of tobacco smoke

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and peripheral atherosclerosis and one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In particular, the risk attributed to current smoking varies from 40% for coronary heart disease to more than 60% for cancers of the pharynx and oesophagus and more than 80% for lung cancer.¹ In addition, the exposure of non-smokers to environmental tobacco smoke has been associated with a substantial increase in their risk of coronary heart disease and cancer.^{2 3} Several investigators have suggested that both active and passive smoking affects the cardiovascular system through endothelial dysfunction, increases in oxidised low density lipoprotein cholesterol, platelet adherence, inflammation, and mitochondrial and oxidative damage, as well as an acute deterioration in the elastic properties of the aorta.^4-7 Indeed, some of the effects of passive smoke on the cardiovascular systems of non-smokers are comparable to the effects . . . [Full text of this article]

Office of Biostatistics-Epidemiology, Department of Nutrition-Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece
(d.b.panagiotakos@usa.net)

First Cardiology Clinic, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

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