The lesser known sister of coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral arterial disease (PAD) involves clogging of the arteries around the body -- often in the legs. The two conditions often go hand in hand, but researchers have recently reported that, of the two, patients with PAD often fare worse.

Researchers based their findings on comparisons of CAD patients who underwent coronary angioplasty and PAD patients who underwent a variety of surgical interventions such as abdominal aortic surgery and lower limb reconstruction. The annual mortality rate for PAD patients was 5.7% -- 2.7% higher that than for CAD patients.

Researchers state that PAD patients are less likely to receive medication for their condition. The undertreatment could be the cause of the higher mortality rate.

Source

In another knock against smoking, researchers report that the heart's aorta can be damaged by the habit. This is kind of significant, as the aorta is the main artery carrying blood to the body.

Aortic inflammation, which is linked to smoking, can promote hardening of the arteries. An end result here can be manifested in the formation of aneurysms.

This chain leads to possible heart attacks, conclude the researchers. So, if smokers did not need another reason to give up the habit, here's another one. You know, since none of us can live without the heart's efforts inside each of our bodies.

Source