[Passive smoking and the risk of coronary heart disease]

Abstract

Over the past 10 years it has become clear that passive smoking is correlated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. The relative risk of 25-30% is comparable to that of lung cancer due to passive smoking. Since coronary heart disease is the most common cause of death, it is likely that passive smoking causes many more deaths from coronary heart disease than from lung cancer. For the Netherlands, yearly figures of 2,500 to 4,000 deaths from coronary heart disease due to passive smoking are estimated. In other words, of every 10 deaths from coronary heart disease due to cigarette smoke, one is caused by passive smoking. A rigorous ban on smoking is advocated, both in public places and at home.