The more you smoke, the more likely you are to suffer a stroke

A study published in the journal Stroke in August 2008 teaches us a potent lesson about the consequences of smoking. The researchers in this study showed that the number of cigarettes a person smokes per day predicts their stroke risk. In other words, the more someone smokes, the more likely he is to suffer a stroke.

In the study, people who smoked between 1-10 cigarettes per day had a little over twice the risk of stroke by comparison with non-smokers. When people smoked 21-30 cigarettes (between 1 and 1.5 packs per day) their risk was over 4 times that of non-smokers. And when they smoked more than 40 cigarettes per day (about 2 packs) they had almost 10 times the risk of suffering a stroke by comparison with non-smokers.

Of course, this risk is independent of other risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, age, and others, which, in combination with smoking, can make the risk of stroke much, much higher.

Suggested Reading:
What is a Stroke?
Six Ways to Stay Stroke-Free
More About Stroke Risk Factors