Overview
- Researchers report that smoking just two to five cigarettes per day is linked to roughly a 50–60% higher risk of coronary events compared with never-smokers.
- Active smokers show markedly elevated risks across heart attack, stroke, reduced cardiac pump function and atrial fibrillation, with all-cause mortality up to 2.5 times higher.
- The analysis demonstrates a clear dose–response, with the steepest risk jump occurring at the transition from not smoking to occasional smoking.
- Cardiovascular risk declines after cessation, with noticeable improvement within three to five years and risks for coronary events and stroke nearing never-smoker levels about 10 years after quitting.
- In Germany, adult smoking prevalence and total cigarette consumption have fallen since 2000, though consumption rose 3.5% last year and tobacco use is linked to an estimated 127,000 premature deaths annually.