For most diseases, the relative risks are similar in both men and women. The relative risk and the absolute excess risk in cigarette smokers is given for each disease. The attributable proportion shown is the proportion of all deaths for each specified disease that is due to smoking. Several site-specific cancers are recognized as being caused by smoking, either largely or entirely. Non-cancer fatal diseases judged to be largely due to smoking include ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and aortic aneurysm.
Smoking causes more deaths from ischemic heart disease than any other disease.
Cerebrovascular lesions are, at least in part, judged to be due to smoking. Smoking has been recognized as one of the causes of peripheral vascular disease 5 . Although less recognized as caused by smoking, cataracts are known to cause appreciable disability 7 . Gastric and duodenal ulcers are known major causes of morbidity, and are significantly associated with smoking 8 . Tobacco smoking during pregnancy has important adverse impact on the fetus.