© 2002 by European Society of Cardiology
Copyright © 2002, European Society of Cardiology
Smoking and gender
aNutrition Foundation of Italy, Via San Pietro all'Orto, 17 20121, Italy
bDepartment of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti, 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-02-5835-8284; fax: +39-02-2940-4961 rodolfo.paoletti{at}unimi.it
Smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease for both men and women and a positive correlation between tobacco use and cerebrovascular disease has been also described. In addition, cigarette smoking is the most powerful risk factor predisposing to atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease. More recently, passive smoking has been also shown to represent an important risk factor for coronary artery disease. Moreover, the incidence of coronary artery and cerebrovascular diseases in ex-smokers consistently decreases after cessation, further underlying the relevance of smoking as a risk factor for these pathological conditions. The effects of cigarette smoking on atherosclerosis initiation and progression as well on its complications are mostly responsible for the enhanced cardio- and cerebrovascular risk observed in smoking compared to non-smoking subjects. Since hormonal status may also play a role in the development and stability of the atherosclerotic plaque, smoking habits could influence the clinical complications of atheroclerosis in a gender dependent manner. Up to now, however, few studies have investigated the relative importance of smoking as a risk factor for fatal and non-fatal diseases in the two sexes within the same study population. On the basis of available clinical data, this review will discuss the risk of fatal and non-fatal diseases among smoking men and women with special emphasis on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease which also represents the most common cause of death among smokers. A description of the mechanisms involved in the tobacco-induced atherosclerotic damage will be also given in order to underline possible gender-related differences.
KEYWORDS Atherosclerosis; Endothelial function; Epidemiology
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  L. E. Viiri, K. M. Viiri, E. Ilveskoski, H. Huhtala, M. Maki, P. J. Tienari, M. Perola, T. Lehtimaki, and P. J. Karhunen Interactions of Functional Apolipoprotein E Gene Promoter Polymorphisms With Smoking on Aortic Atherosclerosis Circ Cardiovasc Genet, December 1, 2008; 1(2): 107 - 116. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Sabia, M. Marmot, C. Dufouil, and A. Singh-Manoux Smoking History and Cognitive Function in Middle Age From the Whitehall II Study Arch Intern Med, June 9, 2008; 168(11): 1165 - 1173. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. S. Bassuk and J. E. Manson Lifestyle and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes in Women: A Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, June 1, 2008; 2(3): 191 - 213. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. Jackson Gender differences in cardiovascular disease prevention Menopause Int, March 1, 2008; 14(1): 13 - 17. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Billon, S. Lehoux, L. Lam Shang Leen, H. Laurell, C. Filipe, V. Benouaich, L. Brouchet, C. Dessy, P. Gourdy, A.-P. Gadeau, et al. The Estrogen Effects on Endothelial Repair and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Activation Are Abolished in Endothelial Nitric-Oxide (NO) Synthase Knockout Mice, but Not by NO Synthase Inhibition by N-Nitro-L-arginine Methyl Ester Am. J. Pathol., March 1, 2008; 172(3): 830 - 838. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. C. Durazzo, S. Gazdzinski, and D. J. Meyerhoff The neurobiological and neurocognitive consequences of chronic cigarette smoking in alcohol use disorders Alcohol Alcohol., May 1, 2007; 42(3): 174 - 185. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. Pilote, K. Dasgupta, V. Guru, K. H. Humphries, J. McGrath, C. Norris, D. Rabi, J. Tremblay, A. Alamian, T. Barnett, et al. A comprehensive view of sex-specific issues related to cardiovascular disease Can. Med. Assoc. J., March 13, 2007; 176(6): S1 - S44. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. Badrick, C. Kirschbaum, and M. Kumari The Relationship between Smoking Status and Cortisol Secretion J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., March 1, 2007; 92(3): 819 - 824. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P Collins Risk factors for cardiovascular disease and hormone therapy in women Heart, May 1, 2006; 92(suppl_3): iii24 - iii28. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 X. Zhang, X. O. Shu, G. Yang, H. L. Li, Y. B. Xiang, Y.-T. Gao, Q. Li, and W. Zheng Association of Passive Smoking by Husbands with Prevalence of Stroke among Chinese Women Nonsmokers Am. J. Epidemiol., February 1, 2005; 161(3): 213 - 218. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E.-L. Glader, B. Stegmayr, B. Norrving, A. Terent, K. Hulter-Asberg, P.-O. Wester, and K. Asplund Sex Differences in Management and Outcome After Stroke: A Swedish National Perspective Stroke, August 1, 2003; 34(8): 1970 - 1975. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|