Air Pollution and Smoking: Not-So-Distant Cousins

Even low-level exposure to secondhand smoke and air pollution increases cardiovascular risk.

The link between airborne fine particulate matter (PM) and cardiovascular disease — and the thresholds at which risk escalates — remain controversial. To assess the adjusted relative risks for cardiovascular mortality according to various levels of exposure to fine PM — ranging from air pollution and secondhand cigarette smoke (0.18–0.90 mg/day of fine PM) to active cigarette-smoke inhalation (18–324 mg/day of fine PM) — epidemiologists studied prospectively collected data on >1 million adults (mean age, 57) who participated in the American Cancer Society's 1982 Cancer Prevention Study II.

During a follow-up period of about 6 years, CVD mortality risk increased by 64% in participants who smoked three or fewer cigarettes per day and doubled i…

Reviewing Author

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

JoAnne M. Foody, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardAegerion; Amarin; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Janssen; Merck; Pfizer; Sanofi-Aventis; Boehringer Ingelheim

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Cardiology, Cardiosmart (Co-chair)

Air Pollution and Smoking: Not-So-Distant Cousins

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Reviewing Author