Smoking - Heart Circulation

Among people over 65, smokers have four to eight times the risk of an aneurysm than the average person’s risk: those with high blood pressure have double the risk
Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke both significantly hasten hardening of the arteries, and the damage may be permanent, says a study at Wake Forest University.

Smoking may account for a 50% increase in the development of arteriosclerosis (the buildup of plaque along arterial walls) for current smokers, and 25% for past smokers. In the winter, smokers may be at an increased risk of heart disease due to higher blood pressure and heart rate, say researchers in Israel. Although winter blood pressure readings are typically higher for most people, in smokers the average increase in systolic blood pressure was twice the increase in non-smokers

Smoking damages the arteries to the heart and brain, thereby increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke
Cigarette smoking harms the body by raising cholesterol levels and blood pressure. One cigarette can impair circulation for up to 45 minutes by constricting the small blood vessels.