Although it is well established that secondhand smoke is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), its association with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and stroke is uncertain. This study examined the issue in a sample of 1,209 Chinese women who had never smoked. Among these women, 39.5% were exposed to secondhand smoke. After taking into account 13 potential risk factors, the risk of CHD in these women was 1.69 (95% CI, 1.31-2.18) and the risk of ischemic stroke was 1.56 (95% CI, 1.03-2.35) compared to women never exposed to secondhand smoke. The adjusted risks of PAD were 1.87 (95% CI, 1.30-2.68), defined by intermittent claudication, and 1.47 (95% CI, 1.07-2.03), defined by an ankle-brachial index <0.90. There was also a dose-dependent relationship between the amount and duration of secondhand smoke and the risk of CHD, ischemic stroke, and PAD.
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