Introduction
The negative impacts of smoking not only affect the direct smoker but also the person that inhale the smoke secondhand. A number of researches have linked various diseases with smoke from the direct smoker. A research conducted on the cardiovascular effects of secondhand smoke reported that the effects are closely as huge as smoking. It concluded that the secondhand smoke elevates the chances of developing coronary heart disease by an estimate of thirty percent. Barnoya & Glantz (2005) suggests that there is a relatively high risk to heart diseases and conditions associated with second hand smoking as compared the normal expectations.
Additional publication on the relationship between second hand smoke and cardiovascular conditions indicated an increased sensitivity of the cardiovascular system to the poisonous substances found in second hand smoke. Barnoya & Glantz observed various health problems associated with second hand smoking; endothelial dysfunction, weakening of the heart muscle, problems in the arteries and increased aggregation of platelets (2005).
Research conducted to investigate the pathophysiology of cigarette smoking and cardiovascular disease indicated the contribution of smoking to increased mortality and morbidity (Ambrose & Barua, 2004). All the stages of atherosclerosis are affected by both passive and active smoking. Passive and active smoking generates cigarette smoke that negatively impacts all the stages of atherosclerosis ranging from endothelial impairment to critical clinical problems. According to Ambrose & Barua, people who are exposed to either passive or active smoke for cigarette are at an elevated risk of developing cardiovascular disease and conditions (2004). A large number of studies indicate that there are over 4,000 poisonous chemicals contained in cigarette smoke. Carbon monoxide is one of the numerous poisonous chemicals in cigarette smoke. The presence of this gas is attributed to numerous causes of cardiovascular dysfunction. Even though the linear dose impact of smoke to cardiovascular risk has not yet been established, the connection between smoke and elevated risk of cardiovascular disease has been evidently confirmed.
Additional research indicates that smoke for cigarette, passive or active, present negative impacts on respiratory system as well as cardiovascular systems. The effects of cigarette smoking not only affect the direct smoker, but also those exposed to the second hand smoke. Exposure to second hand cigarette smoke is responsible for annual death and hospitalization of close to 22,000. Out of the number hospitalized, between 150, 000 to 300,000 are cases of pneumonia and bronchitis. Also, between 8000 and 26,000 cases were reported to be asthmas only.
According to numerous researches, exposure to second hand cigarette smoke has crucial negative impacts on health. Apart from alcohol abuse and active smoking, passive smoking or second hand smoke is the leading the third leading cause of premature deaths and poor health. The major impacts of exposure to second hand smoke include coronary heart conditions and diseases as well as cancer (Flouris et al, 2004). While active smoking results in specific cancer, second hand smoking imposes some level of increased risk.
Various studies have indicated a relationship between increased risk of developing cervical cancer and exposure to second hand cigarette smoke. Women who are exposed to second hand cigarette smoke report an estimate of 40 percent increased risk of developing cervical cancer. Most of these women are exposed to second hand smoke through living with active smokers. Other reviews and researches report a 75 percent increased risk of developing cervical cancer in women exposed to second hand cigarette smoke (Flouris et al, 2004).
References
Ambrose, J. A., & Barua, R. S. (2004). The pathophysiology of cigarette smoking and cardiovascular disease: an update. Journal of the American college of cardiology, 43(10), 1731-1737.
Barnoya, J., & Glantz, S. A. (2005). Cardiovascular effects of secondhand smoke nearly as large as smoking. Circulation, 111(20), 2684-2698.
Flouris, A. D., Metsios, G. S., Carrillo, A. E., Jamurtas, A. Z., Gourgoulianis, K., Kiropoulos, T., & Koutedakis, Y. (2009). Acute and short-term effects of secondhand smoke on lung function and cytokine production. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 179(11), 1029-1033.
