Danger of secondary smoking underlined

Secondhand smoke is not simply an annoyance, it is an important health issue, especially if you have had a heart attack or stroke.

New guidelines from the American Heart Association recommend that people with heart disease or people who have had a stroke should avoid secondhand smoke.

The medical director of the National Heart Foundation of New Zealand, Dr Diana North, endorses the guidelines.

"The scientific evidence is clear. Secondhand smoke is damaging to your health, particularly for those with heart and blood vessel disease," says Dr North.

"Exposure to secondhand smoke damages the lining of blood vessels, causing narrowing of the arteries, reduces the ability of the blood to carry oxygen and makes the blood more sticky.

"The greater the exposure to secondhand smoke, the greater the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

"It has been estimated that the effects of secondhand smoke are responsible for 388 deaths in New Zealand each year and around 3700 hospital admissions, including 1200 heart attacks, 500 strokes and 2000 other illnesses," says Dr North.

"The recommendation to avoid secondhand smoke is supported by research carried out by the Osaka Medical School, which found that inhaling secondhand tobacco smoke for 30 minutes is enough to affect the lining of the arteries and compromise the blood flow to the heart.

"Doctors should advise their non-smoking patients with heart disease or a predisposition to stroke to avoid secondhand smoke."

Heart disease is the biggest killer in New Zealand, accounting for 41 per cent of lives lost annually. The country has one of the highest rates of heart disease for developed countries - higher than those of Australia, Canada and the United States.

nzherald.co.nz/health