Acute Effects of Smoking Light Cigarettes on Coronary Microvascular Functions

Abstract

Background: To date, there has been no study comparing the possible acute effects on coronary microvascular functions of smoking light cigarettes (those with low tar and nicotine yield) and regular cigarettes. Methods: Twenty healthy volunteers (8 women and 12 men; mean age, 25.8 ± 5.8 years) were included in a single-blind, open-label, cross-over study to compare the effects of smoking light cigarettes (containing 0.6 mg nicotine, 8 mg tar, 9 mg carbon monoxide) and smoking regular cigarettes (containing 0.9 mg nicotine, 12 mg tar, 12 mg carbon monoxide) on coronary flow reserve (CFR). For each participant, CFR values were measured at baseline, after smoking 2 regular or light cigarettes, and 15 days later after smoking 2 cigarettes of the other kind. Results: After smoking 2 cigarettes, CFR values declined from 2.8 ± 0.56 (baseline) to 2.31 ± 0.51 after smoking light cigarettes (P = .003), and from 2.8 ± 0.56 (baseline) to 2.21 ± 0.45 after smoking regular cigarettes (P < .001). After smoking light and regular cigarettes, CFR values were similar (P = .678). Conclusions: Light cigarette smoking has similar acute detrimental effects on coronary microvascular function and CFR as does regular cigarette smoking.

The Relationship Between Smoking Intensity and Subclinical Cardiovascular Injury: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

“…Smoking is known to cause temporary coronary vasospasm, 12 and microvascular ischemia, 60 which may result in troponin elevation. The lack of association between smoking intensity and subclinical myocardial injury in our study could be explained by the fact that high-sensitivity troponin assays were not performed in MESA, 61 and participants were instructed to abstain from smoking on the morning of the MESA visit.…”

“…9 Acute exposure to cigarette smoking may be associated with inflammation, thrombosis, endothelial dysfunction, arterial stiffness, and coronary microvascular dysfunction. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Cohort studies have traditionally been used to examine the chronic effects of smoking, but have rarely been used to evaluate immediate inhalational smoking exposure. 18 Long-term exposure is commonly assessed using smoking duration (years), or cumulative exposure (pack-years).…”

The effect of diclofenac on proliferation and production of growth factors by endothelial cells (HMEC-1) under hypoxia and inflammatory conditions

“…However, neovascularization need not always be associated with pathological processes. An example of positive impact may be effects on the cardiovascular system in the case of ischemic heart disease (1)(2)(3)(4)(5).…”

Nicotine Addiction and Coronary Artery Disease: Impact of Cessation Interventions

“…In a large study involving 881 patients, intracoronary Doppler ultrasound flow measurements demonstrated significantly lower acetylcholine-induced hyperaemia in smokers compared to non-smokers (50% vs. 81%) [37]. The coronary flow reserve (CFR) in the left anterior descending artery declined significantly from 2.8±0.56 to 2.31±0.51 after smoking light cigarettes (measured by nicotine and tar content in the cigarette), and, similarly, from 2.8±0.56 to 2.21±0.45 after smoking regular cigarettes [38].…”