Smoking increases heart risk more in women than men

Women who start smoking increase their risk of a heart attack by more than men who take up the habit, according to a review of more than 30 years of research. A study of 2.4 million people, published in the Lancet, showed a 25% difference in increased risk. The reasons are unclear, say researchers. The British Heart Foundation said the findings were "alarming" especially as women tended to smoke fewer cigarettes. The World Health Organization lists heart disease as the world's biggest killer, affecting more than seven million people each year