- The Most Common Cause of Stroke -
Smoking Facts About Cerebral Atherosclerosis

The most common cause of stroke is cerebral atherosclerosis disease.

The smoking facts show that one of the possible dangers of cigarette smoking is arterial thrombosis resulting in a blood clot in the brain.

The one thing all causes of stroke have in common, is that the blood supply to the brain is cut off.

Blood flows to the head from the heart through arteries that are located in the neck. Those arteries that feed the brain enter into the skull and branch out around the brain delivering oxygen rich blood. It is pretty important that these blood vessels remain open because oxygen is essential to keeping brain cells alive.

Without an adequate supply of oxygen rich blood the brain will not be able to carry out its usual functions.

There are some pretty important functions happening in the brain.

As command central to all body functions it is the brain that keeps us breathing, keeps the heart pumping, and allows us to perceive sensory stimuli through our eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin.

The brain also is command central for all the messages coming from and going to other parts of the body.

Without the brain in good shape the rest of the body doesn't function too well either and of course death is the end result of brain damage that affects your heart and breathing functions.

---

The Most Common Cause of Stroke
Smoking Facts

One of the very real dangers of smoking is atherosclerosis disease.

This process can occur in all arteries including the small arteries in the brain. When blood vessels in the brain are affected by this smoking disease it is called cerebral atherosclerosis.

If the small arteries in the brain become narrowed or even blocked the lack of oxygen will cause small areas of tissue death in the brain.

If atherosclerosis disease occurs in the neck arteries there is the danger that a clot can form and break loose.

Travelling with the flow of blood into the brain the blood clot enters smaller and smaller arteries until it eventually gets stuck.

A blood clot in the brain circulation will eventually block blood flow to the brain tissue and this tissue will die. This type of brain stroke will affect a large area of brain tissue and is the most common cause of a stroke that results in the typical facial drooping, and loss of function on one side of the body.

There are other causes of stroke including bleeding in the brain. In fact anything that obstructs or decreases blood flow to the brain can cause a stroke, but 80% of strokes are caused by a blood clot in the brain.

---

Go back to Diseases Caused By Smoking - Facts on the Health Dangers of Smoking Cigarettes

Go back to Peripheral Artery Disease - Smoking Facts About Occlusive Atherosclerosis Disease

Go home to Smoking Facts Reveal the Real Dangers of Smoking