Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - People who smoke with children at home should be aware that there is more evidence of the harm that can come from second-hand smoke.
Doctors think that high blood pressure - known as hypertension - is established early in life.
A new study published in the journal Circulation now finds that second-hand tobacco smoke raises blood pressure in children as young as five or six.
The authors screened more than 4,200 children in Germany. they found elevated blood pressure in those whose parents smoked.
The increase was independent of other risk factors such as overweight, low birth weight, or high blood pressure in the parents.
Interestingly, the findings cite smoking by mothers, but not by fathers.
This may be because mothers are more likely to smoke mostly at home, while fathers tend to do most of their smoking during working hours.
The study concludes that a smoke-free environment at home and in public places is important for heart health not just in adults, but also in children.
