3-a-day female smokers ‘double health risks’

WOMEN who smoke just three cigarettes a day double their risk of heart attack or premature death, a study has found.

Research by doctors in Denmark has found women who smoke are much more susceptible to the detrimental effects of tobacco than men.

However, men face similar risks of heart disease and death if they smoke six cigarettes or one cigar each day.

More than 12,000 people, all aged 20 or older, were involved in the Copenhagen City Heart Study over a period of almost 22 years.

During this time 872 of the men and 476 of the women had a heart attack, while 2,883 men and 2,305 women died from other causes.

The researchers looked at major cardiovascular disease risk factors, including cholesterol, lifestyle, family history, weight and diabetes.

After adjusting for these factors, they found a strong and increasing link between the amount smoked and the risks of heart attack and death from all causes.

Compared with those who did not smoke, Women smokers faced a significantly higher risk of heart attack and premature death than men who smoke.

The authors, led by Dr Eva Prescott of Ama Hospital in Copenhagen, say women’s greater susceptibility to the detrimental effects of tobacco is thought to be because they are more prone to respiratory disease than men.

Also, smoking affects the balance of oestrogen, which helps protect against cardiovascular disease.

Many people assume that because they only smoke a few cigarettes each day they are not putting themselves at risk, but the authors said their findings showed this was not the case.

Writing in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, they said: “From a public health point of view it is important to recognise the increased risk associated with even a low consumption of tobacco.”

Anti-tobacco consultant with the Irish Cancer Society Norma Cronin said the study showed there was no such thing as a safe cigarette.

She said: “This is a pretty significant study. There is a perception that light smoking or smoking low tar cigarettes is not dangerous. This study clearly shows it is.

“It also shows that women are more at risk from the effects of smoking than men.”

Ms Cronin said there were about 1,500 cases of lung cancer diagnosed in Ireland annually and 95% of them were caused by smoking. Other cancers linked to smoking attack the mouth, throat, larynx, bladder and cervix.

Chairman of Ash Ireland Dr Fenton Howell said people often say they are cutting down the number of cigarettes they smoke and put off quitting, but this study proves that only a few cigarettes a day can damage your health.

He said: “Every cigarette is doing harm. It is not the number you smoke that determines the negative health effects, it is that you smoke in the first place.”

Dr Fenton said many people don’t realise more men and women die from smoking-related heart disease in this country than from cancer caused by smoking.

“Cutting down is not an option to improve your health, cutting them out is what you have to do,” he said.