Smoking is the most important preventable cause of cardiovascular disease in women, and it affects women more intensively than men, the conference heard.
Dr Taru Mustonen, of Harvard University, said that women are also affected by environmental tobacco smoke to a greater degree. Smoking increases the risk of a heart attack in women by up to six times and their chances of suffering a stroke is increased two to threefold. Addressing a workshop run by the Finnish Heart Association, she said that two thirds of cardiovascular deaths in women under the age of 50 are tobacco-related, she said.
On a positive note, Dr Mustonen outlined the benefits of quitting. One year after giving up smoking, the risk of cardiac disease is decreased by half. Two to five years after smoking cessation, the risk drops to levels close to that of non-smokers.
The consequences of smoking for the body's metabolic functioning was outlined by Professor Antero Kesaniemi of Oulu University Hospital, Finland. He told the workshop that smoking elevates the level of fat in the blood; it also lowers blood levels of HDL cholesterol - the "good" component of cholesterol.
"Quitting smoking will raise HDL cholesterol by 20-30 per cent, even in six weeks. Smoking lowers the effect of insulin in the body, resulting in higher blood glucose levels. This leads to an increased risk of adult onset diabetes, and the risk of diabetes in smokers is related to the dose of smoking," Professor Kesaniemi said.
Dr Juha Mustonen of the Department of Medicine, North Karelia Central, Finland, said that tobacco dependence should be considered a chronic disease and treated accordingly.
"Pharmacological therapies such as nicotine replacement and bupropion, which have both been shown to be safe for cardiovascular patients, combined with behavioural counselling, should improve the success of this important secondary prevention for cardiac health."
