[Adverse health effects of passive smoking].

Passive smoking leads to exposure to carcinogenic, teratogenic, irritant and toxic substances of tobacco smoke as a consequence of other people's smoking. There is strong evidence that passive smoking causes several diseases of major public health importance as well as leads to exacerbations of many diseases. Among children passive smoking increases the risk of middle ear infections, lower respiratory infections, asthma and sudden infant death syndrome, and among adults asthma, COPD, lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Passive smoking by pregnant mothers leads to impaired fetal growth and may lead to organ system developmental disturbances. Asking about passive smoking and giving professional advice about stopping such exposure should be part of evidence-based medicine for these diseases. Health care workers have a central role in the prevention of passive smoking in clinical practice and health education.