Pumping away at the center of the circulatory system, the human heart supplies oxygenated blood to the body - helping to keep all the beautifully intricate systems working. When you smoke, or if you are exposed to secondhand smoke, you put many of the heart's very crucial tasks in major jeopardy.
Smokers are at a significantly increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Cigarette smoking can cause plaque to build up and clog the arteries. When arteries become congested, there is greater danger of things like stroke, aneurysm, blood clots, or embolisms. Many heart
attacks also happen because of plaque-damaged arteries.
The kind of damage that smoking can do to the arteries and to the flow of blood can lead to other heart problems. For example, angina is a dull but heavy chest pain caused by heart muscles that don't get enough blood to carry out their pumping function.
To quit smoking is to pay respect to the complex form and vast functions of your heart. Once you've quit, your chances of having heart problems start to go down immediately.