Acute Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Left Ventricular Functions in Healthy Nonsmoker Men

The acute effects of cigarette smoking on left ventricular functions and heınodynamic paranıcıers were assessed in 23 nonsmoker young healthy volunteers, aged 21-31 years. We recorded blood pressure, Mınode echocardiography of mitral and aortic valves, and pulsed-Doppler echocardiography of transmitral and transaortic blood flows before and inını e diat e l y afıer smoking. Heart rate significantly increased after smoking (p=O.O ı 7). Systolic and diasto tic blood pressure reınain ed unchanged. E time, E velociıy-tiıne integral, total mitral flow time, total mitral flow velocity-ıinıe integral and pea k E/ A ratio decreased 7 nı s (p=0.043), 0.64 cm (p=O.O ll), 46.44 m s (p=O.OO 1 ), 2. ı ı cm (p=O.OO l ) and 0.04 (p=0.035), respectively. Atrial filling fraction increased by 0.03 (p=0.041 ). No significant difference existed between other variables. These· findings showed that left ventricular systolic funct ion renıained unchanged and lcft ventricular diastolic function was impaired after snıoking. Cigarette smoking causes constriction of epicardial arteries and a decrease in coronary blood flow in subjects, despite an increase in myocardial oxygen demand. For this reason acute cigarette smoking significantly impairs the energy-consuming process of diastolic relaxation.