Nicotine

Smoking 15: Atherosclerosis – Injury to blood vessel walls

The blood containing nicotine and carbon monoxide flows through the blood vessels of the body.

Nicotine constricts, or narrows, the blood vessels, thus raising the blood pressure. Nicotine also leads to higher amounts of LDL (the bad cholesterol) in the bloodstream.

In addition, nicotine has harmful effects on the cells lining the insides of the blood vessel walls. This makes the wall more porous and uneven. The higher blood pressure and LDL worsen the unevenness. This activates white blood cells and blood platelets, which attach themselves to the uneven and narrower surfaces.