title: [Smoking and atherosclerosis].
abstract: Smoking is one of the three major cardiovascular risk factors, the other two being hyperlipidaemia and hypertension. Cardiovascular diseases contribute in Austria, as well as in other industrialized countries, more than 50% to total mortality. Unlike in other industrialized countries ischaemic heart diseases in Austria have an unfavourable mortality trend, with a substantial relative increase. The atherogenicity of smoking is partly caused by interaction with other risk factors, especially hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and a high fibrinogen level. 30% of the Austrian population are smokers. The percentage has increased over the past few years, especially in young women. Other cardiovascular risk factors are very common too and, hence, a large proportion of the Austrian population is at risk due to a combination of risk factors. Smoking and the use of oral contraceptives is associated with significant risk of both myocardial infarction and stroke. The Austrian trend of cigarette smoking among young women points to a substantial increase in the number of women at risk by this combination of risk factors. Strategies to control the smoking epidemic have been internationally tested. An integrated approach is set out in a document provided by the International Union Against Cancer (1983). In a country like Austria with a tobacco monopoly the conditions for implementing smoking control measures should theoretically be better than in other countries.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Sozialmedizin, Universität Wien.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kunze
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001317:Austria; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention
vernacular_title: Rauchen und Atherosklerose.