Cigarette smoking, endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis

Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis. Endothelial dysfunction is considered to be a key initiating event in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Cigarette smoking induces endothelial dysfunction such as damaging the vasodilatory, antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory functions of endothelia and increasing oxidative stress, thus enhancing atherosclerosis.