Effect of Smoking Cigarettes on Cardiovascular Hemodynamics

Abstract

Smoking of high-nicotine cigarettes caused a significant increase in systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, heart rate, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and a significant decrease in stroke index and coronary sinus, arterial, and venous PO₂ level in ten patients with angina pectoris due to proved coronary heart disease. Smoking of the cigarettes did not cause a significant effect on the maximal rate of left ventricular pressure rise, aortic systolic ejection period, and cardiac index in these patients. The smoke of nicotinized cigarettes increases the myocardial oxygen demand (nicotine effect) and interferes with myocardial oxygen delivery (carboxyhemoglobin effect).