Haemodynamic and Neuroendocrine Consequences of Stopping Smoking‐a Controlled Study

Abstract

The haemodynamic and neuroendocrine consequences of stopping smoking for a 6 week period were studied in thirty-three smokers and their matched controls. Complete smoking cessation was associated with a significant fall in adrenaline and cortisol levels, consistent with the withdrawal of a nicotine stimulus to adrenomedullary and cortical activity. Supine systolic and diastolic blood pressure did not change significantly. However, the response to a cold pressor stimulus was altered with a delay in return of systolic blood pressure to basal values. This study has been unable to confirm findings from epidemiological studies of lower blood pressure in smokers. However, the possibility is raised that this phenomenon may be due to modification by smoking of the normal physiological response to stressful stimuli.

Smoking, cortisol and nicotine

“…A number of studies have examined whether such a response occurs. Most have targeted smokers who are not using pharmaceutical aids to cessation and they have shown a significant decline in cortisol following periods of smoking abstinence ranging from 4 h to 6 weeks (Cohen et al, 2004;Gilbert et al, 1999;Pomerleau et al, 2000;Puddey et al, 1984). Several smaller and less rigorous studies have reported either no change, or an increase, in cortisol following smoking abstinence, and this has been observed both for people not using pharmaceutical aids to cessation (Benowitz et al, 1984;Hughes et al, 1988;Pickworth et al, 1996), and among those using nicotine patches (Pickworth et al, 1996;Teneggi et al, 2002).…”

Reduction in Cortisol After Smoking Cessation Among Users of Nicotine Patches

“…A significant decline in cortisol, relative to presmoking abstinence levels, has been reported after abstinence of 4 hours (16), 12 hours (17), 24 hours (6), 2 days and 9 days (18), 2 weeks (19), 31 days (20,21), and 6 weeks (22). Other studies have reported either no change in cortisol (23,24) or an increase in cortisol after smoking cessation (25).…”

Neuroactive steroids, negative affect, and nicotine dependence severity in male smokers

“…Specifically, adrenocortical stimulating hormone (ACTH) and also cortisol and corticosterone levels are increased following nicotine exposure in both humans and rodents, respectively (Rosecrans and Karin 1998;Gossain et al 1986;Pomerleau et al 2001;Matta et al 1998;Caggiula et al 1998;al'Absi et al 2003;Tziomalos and Charsoulis 2004). Conversely, nicotine withdrawal states result in cortisol decreases at 2 weeks (Frederick et al 1998), 6 weeks (Puddey et al 1984), 3 through 31 days (Gilbert et al 1999) and 31 days (Meliska et al 1995) after smoking cessation. Cortisol levels at earlier time points after smoking cessation, however, have been reported to be unchanged or increased overnight (al'Absi et al 2002), and at 24-h (Hughes et al 1988), 37-h (Pickworth and Fant 1998), or 72-h (Pickworth et al 1996 abstinence periods.…”