Vascular dysfunction even after 20 years in children exposed to passive smoking: alarming results and need for awareness.

Smoking, either active or passive, is associated with increased cardiovascular risk with passive smoking alone reported to have a 30% to 60% higher event rate. Endothelial dysfunction, as a biomarker of atherosclerotic progression, is known to be affected by smoking. Long-term effects of childhood exposure to passive smoking on endothelial dysfunction in later life remains poorly understood but, if addressed, this is an issue that would be important not only for medical reasons but also for social reasons such as public awareness and health recommendations.