Overall, the researchers found, breathing secondhand smoke in private social settings nearly tripled the risk of being diagnosed with sinusitis, while breathing it at work more than doubled the risk.
The survey, jointly conducted by the China Center for Disease Control, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, shows that seven out of 10 adults reported being exposed to secondhand smoke in a typical week.
"If 40 percent of chronic rhinosinusitis is caused by secondhand smoke, you're in a good position to eliminate...those cases if you eliminate secondhand smoke, " he says.
But surprise, surprise most Parisians interviewed in the French Press said they actually like being able to smell food and breathe freely in cafes without worrying about swallowing secondhand smoke.
Interestingly, the biggest benefit from limiting secondhand smoke is from reduction in cardiac disease.
In the study, Tammemagi and his colleagues surveyed more than 600 nonsmokers from the Detroit area -- half of whom had been diagnosed with chronic sinusitis -- about their exposure to secondhand smoke at home, at work, in public places (such as bars, restaurants, and bowling alleys), and in private social settings over a five-year period.
Now, two large studies suggest that communities that pass laws to curb secondhand smoke get a big payoff -- a drop in heart attacks.
CNN: Big drop in heart attacks after smoking bans, studies say
In each case, more people diagnosed with sinusitis reported being exposed to secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke also causes lung cancer, heart and lung disease in non-smokers.
Worldwide, it is estimated that exposure to secondhand smoke caused 50, 000 lung cancer deaths and 379, 000 heart disease deaths in 2004.
Secondhand smoke can increase the risk of respiratory ailments, lung cancer, and heart disease in nonsmokers, and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome and middle ear infections in children.
应用推荐