Smoking and increased levels of blood pressure (BP) substantially increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). If these 2 risk factors have a synergistic impact on cardiovascular events, lowering BP and quitting smoking will contribute more to reducing CVD than would be expected from ignoring their interaction.
Nutrition and Lifestyle Division, The George Institute for International Health, PO Box M201, Missenden Road, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia. knakamura@george.org.au