Nicotine isn't the only bad element in cigarette smoke. All these effects harm a person's cardiovascular system. Atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis occurs when fatty deposits build up on the inner walls of the arteries. This causes them to narrow and become less elastic. When this happens the heart must work harder to pump blood through the narrowed channels.
Clogged arteries are a major cause of heart attack and stroke.
And when it occurs, it tends to be more severe in smokers. Along with cigarette smoking, high blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart and blood vessel disease. In other words, people who smoke and have high cholesterol levels have a higher risk of CVD than the sum of each risk factor by itself. Smoking and Peripheral Vascular Disease Peripheral vascular disease is the narrowing of blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles. Smoking is a major risk factor of peripheral vascular disease.