What is the relationship between cigarette smoking and stroke risk?
Multiple studies have investigated the relationship between smoking and stroke risk. A meta-analysis published in 1989 found that cigarette smoking was associated with a two-fold increase in risk of stroke compared to non-smokers. More recent studies have found similar results. For example, a 2008 study found that young women had a dose-dependent increase in risk for ischemic stroke with increasing cigarette consumption. Additionally, a 2005 study found that smoking and elevated blood pressure were the most important risk factors for subarachnoid hemorrhage in the Asia-Pacific region. Studies conducted in 2003 and 2005 also found that smoking increased the risk of hemorrhagic stroke in both men and women. Finally, a 2005 study found that major risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage in the young, such as smoking, are modifiable. Taken together, these findings suggest that cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk of stroke. 