Even if you don’t smoke yourself, research has found that if you are married to a smoker it will significantly raise your risk of a stroke.
The team form Harvard University looked at records of more than 16,000 people over the age of 50, and their spouses, over a period of nine years. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found the risk rose by up to 72 percent for some non-smokers.
Since the introduction of smoking bans in public places across the UK, the home is now the most likely place for non-smokers to breathe second hand smoke.
If the person had never smoked, but they lived with a smoker, the risk of stroke increased by 42 percent. Being married to a former smoker, however, did not increase risk, suggesting that the risk would decrease if the partner stopped smoking.
Dr Maria Glymour, who carried out the research, said: “These findings indicate that spousal smoking increases stroke risk among non-smokers and former smoker.
“The health benefits of quitting smoking likely extend beyond individual smokers to affect their spouses - potentially multiplying the benefits of smoking.”
This advice was echoed by the Stroke Association, which said that passive smokers were nearly twice as likely to have a stroke compared with those not living in a smoky environment.
Joe Korner, from the association, said: “Smoking is a significant risk factor for stroke with a quarter of all strokes being linked to smoking and it can also contribute to high blood pressure which is the single biggest risk factor for stroke.
“We urge people to consider the effects that smoking has on their health and others around them and do all they can to reduce their risk of stroke.”
