There are over 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, and over 70 of them are known to cause cancer. But these chemicals have also been proven to increase risk of heart attack or stroke. "The chemicals in cigarettes can affect your heart and blood vessels. They can damage the walls of the heart's arteries so fatty material sticks to them. If the arteries that carry blood to your heart get damaged and clogged, it can lead to a heart attack. If it happens in the arteries that carry blood to your brain, it can lead to a stroke," explains June Davison, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/news-and-features/what-does-smoking-do-to-your-heart