How can smoking cause a stroke?
1. Increased blood pressure: Smoking causes the blood vessels to constrict, which increases the pressure on the artery walls. This can damage the arteries over time, making them more susceptible to atherosclerosis, a condition where plaque builds up in the arteries, narrowing them and making them less flexible.
2. Blood clotting: Smoking increases the tendency of the blood to clot. This is because smoking damages the lining of the arteries, exposing the underlying collagen, which promotes platelet aggregation and the formation of blood clots.
3. Atherosclerosis: Smoking speeds up the process of atherosclerosis. The chemicals in cigarettes, such as nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, damage the endothelium, the thin layer of cells that lines the inside of the arteries. This damage allows cholesterol and other fatty substances to accumulate in the artery walls, forming plaque.
4. Narrowing of the arteries: As the plaque builds up, the arteries become narrower and less flexible, making it harder for blood to flow through them. This can cause a stroke if the plaque completely blocks the artery or if a piece of plaque breaks off and travels to a smaller artery in the brain, blocking it.
5. Ischemia: When an artery is blocked, the brain tissue supplied by that artery is deprived of oxygen and nutrients, leading to ischemia, a condition of inadequate blood flow to a tissue. This can damage or kill brain cells, resulting in a stroke.
Smoking not only increases the risk of stroke but also worsens the outcome of a stroke. People who smoke are more likely to have a severe stroke, and they are also more likely to die from a stroke.
Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of stroke. If you smoke, talk to your healthcare provider about smoking cessation resources.