Teen Girls Exposed to Passive Smoking at High Risk of Heart Diseases

Teenage girls who are exposed to passive smoking are at a greater risk of suffering from heart diseases when compared to teenage boys, according to a study published in the International Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

The study, conducted by researchers at The University of Western Australia, noticed that teen girls who are exposed to second-hand smoking had very little of good cholesterol, which lowers the risk of heart disease. But a similar impact of being exposed to second-hand smoking was absent in boys.

According to the study, the high-density lipoproteins (HDL) collect the extra cholesterol in the blood and carry it to the liver, where it is broken down. But the low-density lipoproteins create a waxy thick coating that blocks the blood vessels. HDL cholesterol plays a significant role in combating heart disease.

To prove this finding, lead author Dr. Chi Le-Ha from UWA's School Medicine and Pharmacology examined more than 1,000 adolescents with the help of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study.

This data was from the Perth-based longitudinal cohort that focused on children born in in Western Australia between 1989 and 1992. Dr. Chi Le-Ha is currently based at the Royal Perth Hospital.

"In our study we found that 17-year-old girls raised in households where passive smoking occurred were more likely to experience declines in HDL cholesterol levels," Dr. Le-Ha said in a press statement. "Second-hand smoke did not have the same impact on teenage boys of the same age, which suggests passive smoking exposure may be more harmful to girls."

She continues to state that this is a serious concern, considering the fact that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women in the Western world.

The researcher highlights the need to reduce young children's second-hand exposure to smoke, especially for girls.