episode of atrial fibrillation, a heart condition that is a risk factor for stroke. The chemicals in smoke also make your platelets, a type of blood cell, more likely to stick together. This increases the chance of a clot forming. These factors increase risk of developing smokers’ atherosclerosis, a condition where arteries become narrowed and harden. This reduces the blood flow and makes blood clots more likely to form. If a clot occurs in an artery leading to the brain, it can cause a stroke when it blocks the blood supply to part of the brain. This type of stroke is known as an ischaemic stroke. Smoking nearly doubles your risk of having an ischaemic stroke. Smokers are also more likely to develop high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke. Smoking is particularly dangerous for people who already have high blood pressure because high blood pressure contributes to damage to the arteries. If you are a smoker with high blood pressure, your arteries will narrow at a much faster rate, significantly increasing your risk of stroke. Why should I stop smoking?
episode of atrial fibrillation, a heart condition that is a risk factor for stroke. The chemicals in smoke also make your platelets, a type of blood cell, more likely to stick together. This increases the chance of a clot forming. These factors increase smokers’ risk of developing atherosclerosis, a condition where arteries become narrowed and harden. This reduces the blood flow and makes blood clots more likely to form. If a clot occurs in an artery leading to the brain, it can cause a stroke when it blocks the blood supply to part of the brain. This type of stroke is known as an ischaemic stroke. Smoking nearly doubles your risk of having an ischaemic stroke. Smokers are also more likely to develop high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke. Smoking is particularly dangerous for people who already have high blood pressure because high blood pressure contributes to damage to the arteries. If you are a smoker with high blood pressure, your arteries will narrow at a much faster rate, significantly increasing your risk of stroke. Why should I stop smoking?
f19_smoking_and_the_risk_of_stroke_v2_large_print.docx