Posted by on October 12, 2011 - 1:26pm

Smoking is definitely a risk factor for heart disease but until recently it was not known if this risk was higher in women.   Study results published in Lancet in August 2011 suggest that the risk of heart disease due to smoking is higher in women.

The large meta analysis suggested that the harmful effects of tobacco smoking affect men and women differently.  In a study of more than two million people, researchers showed that the pooled adjusted female-to-male relative risk of coronary heart disease in smokers vs nonsmokers is 25% higher in women. If anything, said Dr. Rachel Huxley from University of Minnesota, the 25% increased risk may be on the conservative side.  Women have not been smoking as long as men, so the true impact on women's health may not have manifested yet.

Of particular concern are the increasing number of young girls starting to smoke compared to young boys.   ALERT:   Young ladies who start smoking, you might think you look cool now but you won't look so cool when you get older and are walking around with an oxygen tank!