There is a cumulative effect of these assaults on the cardiovascular system over time. There is some evidence that smoking may repeatedly damage the lining of blood vessels and encourage clot formation. This contributes to the development of atherosclerosis which can lead to raised blood pressure and increased clot formation. The NHF notes that smoking increases a person's coronary age by about 10 years. About half of all deaths from CHD occur without warning and are known as sudden death.
Smokers run three times the risk of sudden death compared with non-smokers.
Aortic aneurysm is a ballooning of the aortic artery wall at the point of the artery weakened by the pressure from blood flow. This aneurysm can rupture, with life-threatening consequences. For smokers, the risk of a ruptured aortic aneurysm is up to eight times that for non-smokers. Stroke or cerebrovascular accident, is an interruption of blood supply to the brain, which can result from atherosclerosis or high blood pressure. Smoking is a contributing factor, especially in younger people.