smoking and stroke

A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when a clot blocks the blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in or around the brain bursts. In either case, parts of the brain becomes damaged or die. For stroke survivors, recovery can take months or years. Many people who have had a stroke never fully recover. There are two kinds of stroke. They are the following--

1. Ischemic stroke-----about 85% of all strokes are ischemic in which blood flow to the brain is blocked by blood clots or fatty deposits called plaque in blood vessel linings.
2. Hemorrhagic stroke-----a hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel bursts in the brain. Blood accumulates and compresses the surrounding brain tissue.
High blood pressure can greatly increase your risk for stroke. Smoking cigarettes, eating a diet high in salt and drinking too much alcohol can all raise your blood pressure.
Smoking injures blood vessels and speeds up the hardening of the arteries. The carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke reduces the mount of oxygen that your blood can carry. Secondhand smoke can increase the risk of stroke for nonsmokers.
Drinking too much alcohol raises your blood pressure which increases the risk for stroke. It also increases a form of cholesterol which can harden your arteries.
Not getting enough exercise can make you gain weight, which can lead to increased blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Inactivity also is a risk factor for diabetes. Having a family history of stroke increases the chance of stroke. The older your are, the more likely you are to have a stroke. For ages 65 and older, men are at greater risk than women to have a stroke. The following are the ways to reduce the risk factor for the stroke.--
1. eat a healthy diet
2.maintain a healthy weight
3.be active
4.don't smoke
5.limit alcohol use 
Reference--centers for disease control and prevention

stroke caused by smoking