The report provides evidence that even minimal smoke exposures could trigger heart attack, especially in people at a higher risk of heart problems. However, an inexpensive and effective way to reduce the second-hand exposure is to implement smoke-free policies all accross the public places, it mentioned.
To determine the impact of smoking bans on heart risks and the relationship between passive smoking and heart disease, a team from the Insititute of Medicine (IOM) examined 11 studies conducted in certain states of U.S., Canada and Europe where such bans had been implemented in the public places.
IOM, established in 1970, is a non-profit U.S. organization that provides national advice on medicine and health.
Smoking bans lower cardivascular events
A review of all the studies suggested that smoking bans cut the rate of heart attacks anywhere from 6 percent to 47 percent.
The panel members also noted that smoke-free laws could greatly protect the public from the dangerous chemicals found in the secondhand smoke.
The findings of the study clearly demonstrated that smoking bans are directly associated with lowering the potential risk of heart attacks.
"It's clear that smoking bans work," said Dr. Lynn R. Goldman of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who chaired the panel that produced the report. "Bans reduce the risk of heart attacks in nonsmokers as well as smokers."
"The report confirms that eliminating smoking in workplaces, restaurants, bars and other public places is an effective way to protect Americans from the health effects of secondhand smoke," said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which commissioned the study.
It is speculated that the report would encourage the passage of more such laws promoting smoke-free workplaces in the United States.
Second-hand smoke harmful for heart
Health experts caution that even brief exposure to second-hand smoke can increase blood clotting and contract the blood vessels which are the key heart risk factors.
Previous studies also reveal that passive smoking increases the risk of heart disease by 25-30 percent. People at a risk of heart problems are more likely to suffer from second-hand smoke.
“If you have heart disease, you really need to stay away from secondhand smoke. It is an immediate threat to your life,” said physician and smoking researcher Neil Benowitz, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco.
“Even if you think you are perfectly healthy, secondhand smoke could be a potential threat to you,” he added.
According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Heart Association, nearly 43 percent of non-smoking children and 37 percent of non-smoking adults are still exposed to secondhand smoke that kills nearly 46,000 Americans from heart disease each year.
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