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Question:
How great is risk of infrequent second-hand smoke?
I go to the theatre regularly. Maybe once or twice a month, there will be smoking on stage. I'm usually quite close to the front and can smell it. I am not exposed to secondhand smoke under any other circumstances, but I have read about how even infrequent exposure to secondhand smoke can cause irreparable DNA damage, respiratory, and cardiovascular damage. A healthy lifestyle is very important to me, and I want to know how great the risk is from these seemingly insignificant exposures.
submitted Dean from United Kingdom on 10/27/2012
Answer:
by Texas Heart Institute cardiologist, Patrick J. Cook, MD
Can't speak to the DNA question or authoritatively re. pulmonary issues, but the degree of second hand smoke exposure described is unlikely to cause significant CV problems.
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Updated November 2012
