People who use smokeless such as chewing tobacco have a slightly higher risk of having a fatal heart attack or stroke, according to new research.

In the past few decades there has been an increase in the number of people in Europe and North America using smokeless tobacco, particularly among people younger than 40, according to a news release on the study.

Some consider smokless products as safer alternatives to smoking. But a research team led by Dr. Paolo Boffetta at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France, analyzed the results of 11 studies carried out in Sweden and North America and found that wasn't necessarily true.

They found a small increased risk of death from a heart attack or stroke among users of smokeless tobacco products compared with non-users. Smokeless tobacco caused 0.5 percent of all heart attacks in the U.S. and 5.6 percent in Sweden. The products were also the cause of 1.7 percent of stroke deaths in the United States and 5.4 percent in Sweden.

The authors concluded that, although the extra risk is small, the consistency of the results among studies added to their credibility.