Even a cigarette a day increases the risk of cardiovascular disease

Physicians are studying the effects of reduced cigarette consumption

If smokers clearly want to reduce their risk of suffering from heart disease or stroke, they need to stop smoking altogether instead of merely reducing it. Even if people only smoke a single cigarette a day, this greatly increases the risk of these symptoms.

The researchers from the UCL Cancer Institute at University College London found in their study that smoking one cigarette a day already leads to a greatly increased risk of heart disease and strokes. The experts published the results of their study in the English-language journal "BMJ".

Smoking causes many different negative effects, including cancer, heart disease and strokes. (Image: BillionPhotos.com/fotolia.com)

Researchers analyze data from 141 studies for their study

Many people try to reduce smoking to protect themselves from unwanted diseases. Apparently, it is not enough just to smoke fewer cigarettes to avoid heart disease and strokes. The only way to protect them seems to be completely abstaining from smoking. This was determined by the physicians as they analyzed data from a total of 141 cohort studies during their research work.

What is the premature cause of death caused by smoking??

Many people think that cancer causes the most premature deaths among smokers. This assumption is wrong. In fact, it's cardiovascular disease, not cancer, explain the experts.

Smoking only a few cigarettes a day has a major impact on your health

The proportion of smoking adults has fallen, but in the UK, the proportion of people who smoke daily from one to five cigarettes is steadily rising, the researchers explain. The risk of smoking only a few cigarettes a day is significantly greater than previously thought. Even if people only smoke a single cigarette a day, they are at a much greater risk of suffering from heart disease or stroke. This shows that smokers need to stop smoking completely to reduce the risk, rather than just reducing their cigarette consumption, the doctors explain.

How does smoking a cigarette affect your heart every day??

The scientists found in their study that when men smoke one cigarette a day, the risk of heart disease is 46 percent of the risk that 20 cigarettes a day have on smoking people. In women, the risk of heart disease from smoking one cigarette a day was 31 percent of the risk that women experienced with 20 cigarettes a day. When the relative risk after adjustment for various factors was calculated, it was even 53 percent for men and 38 percent for women.

How does a cigarette affect the risk of stroke daily??

It was similarly dramatic in strokes. When men smoke only one cigarette a day, the risk of suffering a stroke is 41 percent of the risk that 20 cigarettes a day show smoking men. Women smoking a cigarette by day have a risk equivalent to 34 percent of the risk faced by women with 20 cigarettes a day. When using relative risks, the scores were as high as 64 percent in males and 36 percent in females, when the risk was adjusted for various factors, the authors of the study write.

Researchers had expected a greater reduction in risk

Many smokers want to stop smoking or at least reduce it because they are afraid of getting cancer. However, smoking is more likely to result in heart disease or stroke. In fact, the researchers had expected that smoking fewer cigarettes would reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease in a proportionate manner, as has been noted in some lung cancer studies. Reducing the amount of cigarettes smoked during the day does not protect you from heart disease and strokes, you need to stop smoking completely, the researchers explain.

How does it affect the risk of people completely quit smoking??

Just a few years in life, when people smoke, can lead to serious damage and cause cardiovascular disease. But there is also good news for smokers: stopping smoking completely reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease. It is also wrong to assume that reducing the amount of cigarettes smoked daily is useless. Smoking fewer cigarettes a day just does not reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes very much. (As)