Health Tip: How Smoking Affects Your Heart

Health Tip: How Smoking Affects Your Heart

(HealthDay News) — Most people realize that smoking causes cancer, but it can also wreak havoc on your heart, experts say.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says smoking:

  • Damages blood cells, heart function and blood vessels
  • Increases the risk of hardening of the arteries, which restricts blood flow.
  • Increases the risks of heart disease, which occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries.