Smoking Boosts Blood Pressure in Women(e said the study findings are yet anothe...),Health

"We really don't need another reason for people not to smoke," he said. "This study adds to the information about another potential mechanism by which smoking contributes to adverse outcomes."

Aside from the 5,000 chemical and known carcinogens in cigarettes, high blood pressure is another threat that comes with the habit of smoking, Krumholz said.

Krumholz said the new finding should have meaning for girls thinking about taking up smoking. "They know about the risk for cancer and heart disease, but this is something more for them to consider as a reason to stay away from cigarettes," he said.

More information

For more on smoking and heart disease, visit the American Heart Association.

SOURCES: Thomas S. Bowman, M.D., M.P.H., Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, and instructor in medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Harlan M. Krumholz, M.D., professor of medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; Nov. 20, 2007, Journal of the American College of Cardiology