According to new research conducted by the American Heart Association’s journal ‘Stroke’, bleeding inside the lining of the brain (subarachnoid hemorrhage) is significantly more common among smokers, especially female smokers, than among people who do not smoke. Although cigarette smoking was linked to an increased risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage among both sexes, women faced the highest risk.
As per the research, subarachnoid hemorrhages are eight times more common among women who smoke more than a pack a day compared to non-smokers. They are three times more common among men who smoke the same amount. Even light smoking tripled a woman’s risk for this type of stroke, the study found.
Researchers found that among light smokers (1 to 10 cigarettes per day), women were 2.95 times more likely to have subarachnoid hemorrhage compared to non-smokers, while men who smoked comparable amounts of cigarettes were 1.93 times more likely.
Women who smoked 11 to 20 cigarettes per day were 3.89 times more likely to have
subarachnoid hemorrhage compared to non-smokers, while men who smoked comparable amounts of cigarettes were 2.13 times more likely, researchers said.
Women who smoked 21 to 30 cigarettes per day were more than 8.35 times likely to have subarachnoid hemorrhage compared to non-smokers, while men who smoked comparable amounts of cigarettes were 2.76 times more likely, it was found.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage results from bleeding into the lining between the brain’s surface and underlying brain tissue.
According to the American Heart Association, smoking is perhaps the most important modifiable risk factor in preventing subarachnoid hemorrhage, with the highest population attributable risk of any subarachnoid hemorrhage risk factor.
“Subarachnoid hemorrhage accounts for three percent of all strokes and women face 3 to 10 times higher risk of this kind of stroke. We must remember that this risk remains high whether the woman is an active smoker or inhaling passive smoke from someone else either in the office or home. So the message is clear, women ought to stay away from smoking and smokers,” says Dr. S. P. Mathew, MD (Medicine), Consultant at Ashok Hospital, Dahisar (Mumbai).
“Smoking is one of the major risk factors for subarachnoid hemorrhage and the risk factor increases two to threefold in women smokers as compared to males with many cases occurring below 40 years. Preventive strategies consist primarily of smoking cessation through smoking cessation clinics, nicotine replacement therapy and lifestyle modifications and control of other risk factors like diabetes and hypertension,” emphasizes Dr. Fazila Patankar, Asst. Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Terna Medical College, Navi Mumbai.
“It is alarming to note that the number of women smokers is rising steadily in India making it home to the second largest number of female smokers after the United States. Smoking has emerged as the third top risk for health loss in India. Women tend to suffer withdrawal symptoms more severely than men. Puff to stay slim is the age-old mantra for most women especially models. Fear of weight gain becomes a disincentive to stub that cigarette. As this area is very delicate, we try to reach to students at school and college levels and also tie up with the hospitals to work on various strategies to get these teenagers out of this habit,” remarks Dr. Jayakar Ellis, President Heart Foundation, NGO.
