Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Nonsmokers vs. Smokers – Key Statistics

Smoking is a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Compared to lifelong nonsmokers, smokers face dramatically higher risks:

Relative Risk Increases for Smokers

Condition	Nonsmoker Lifetime Risk	Smoker Relative Risk
Coronary Heart Disease / Heart Attack	~1 in 7 men, 1 in 9 women	2–4× higher
Stroke	~1 in 5 men, 1 in 3 women	2–4× higher
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)	~1 in 20	2–4× higher
Heart Failure	~1 in 5 men, 1 in 9 women	2–3× higher
Overall CVD	~1 in 3 US adults	2–4× higher

Mechanisms

Smoking promotes endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, thrombosis, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance—all accelerating atherosclerosis.

Benefits of Quitting

• 1 year: CHD risk drops by half.
• 5 years: Stroke risk approaches nonsmoker.
• 10–15 years: CVD risk neversmoker level.

Quitting at any age adds years of life. Counseling + pharmacotherapy (varenicline, bupropion, NRT) doubles success rates.