Smoking, Drinking and Heart Attacks

In the minds of the American public, cigarette smoking is most often linked to lung cancer and breathing disorders. But did you know that smoking is also linked to a higher risk of heart attack?

Smoking Clogs Arteries

Studies show that cigarette smokers have an increased incidence of atherosclerosis - the build-up of fatty substances in the arteries. This leads to coronary artery disease, which in turn can cause a heart attack.

Smoking makes it easier for plaque to grow inside your arteries because it increases your blood's ability to clot. In addition, smoking decreases HDL, which is the "good" cholesterol in your body.

Studies also show that women who smoke and use birth control pills have a higher risk of coronary artery disease compared with non-smoking women who take the pill.

Pipes and Cigars

When it comes to cigar and pipe smoking, studies also show there is also a higher risk of coronary artery disease. However, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), the jury is still out as to whether that risk is as high as that of cigarette smoking.

Secondhand Smoke

Even if you don't smoke, other people's smoke can affect your cardiac health. The AHA says secondhand smoke kills up to 40,000 non-smokers a year due to heart and blood vessel disease. Most of those non-smokers died from coronary artery disease and heart attacks.

Alcohol and Your Heart

While smoking is a no-no for heart health, drinking is another story. Study after study has shown that moderate alcohol intake can be beneficial for your heart, and can even raise the levels of HDL cholesterol in your blood.

However the controversy lies in what the word "moderate" means. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines define it as no more than one to two drinks per day for men, and no more than one drink per day for women.

Certainly no one is suggesting that non-drinkers take up the bottle just to save themselves from a heart attack. And it can be hard for a problem drinker to determine when he or she has crossed the line from health benefit to health risk. But the evidence shows that moderate alcohol intake should be considered a possible weapon - one of many -- in the battle against heart attacks.