According to the findings of a new study, carbon monoxide also 

causes direct damage to the

heart muscle, separate from the effects of oxygen deprivation, which reduces the heart's
pumping capacity and permanently impairs cardiac function.

Inhaling carbon monoxide is dangerous because the gas binds to hemoglobin in red blood
cells to form carboxyhemoglobin. This displaces oxygen and reduces hemoglobin's
ability to deliver oxygen to body tissues. If tissues are deprived of oxygen, transient or
permanent damage can occur, especially in those organs that demand high oxygen
delivery, such as the brain and heart. 
Carbon monoxide could manifest its toxic effects on the heart and blood vessels in two
ways, either by causing acute, short-term effects on oxygen delivery or by contributing to
the development of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a
progressive disease characterized by thickening of the arteries and a buildup of deposits
of fat, cholesterol, cells, and connective tissue in the inner lining of the blood vessels. 
Causes the platelets in your blood to clump together easily by making your blood cells more "sticky"
and more likely to form clots. Clumping platelets can then block your coronary arteries and cause a
heart attack.
Inhaling the smoke generated by leaf burning can cause people to get sinus infections or
pneumonia. For those with lung disease, asthma, emphysema or those with heart disease, it
can be life threatening. Longer term risks include developing heart and lung disease, cancer
and others,” he said.