[24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic registry: differences between smokers and non-smokers and habit breaking effects].
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this work was to determine the prevalence of arrhythmias in a group of 90 smokers and to carry out a prospective study on electrocardiographic modifications due to smoking withdrawal.


METHODS
A Holter study was performed to 90 smokers and 30 non-smokers. Afterwards smokers were included in a smoking withdrawal program. One year later all subjects who stopped smoking underwent a new Holter study as well as 10 of the smokers who failed in smoking withdrawal.


RESULTS
Initial Holter study revealed that smokers had a significantly higher mean cardiac rate (p < 0.001), prevalence of supraventricular arrhythmias (p < 0.01) and ventricular premature complexes (p < 0.05) than non-smokers. Holter study performed after smoking cessation, showed a statistically significant decrease of mean cardiac rate (p < 0.001) and supraventricular arrhythmias (p < 0.001). Holter study performed to the subjects who failed in smoking withdrawal showed no significant changes in relation to the study made the previous year.


CONCLUSIONS
Smokers present a higher cardiac rate and prevalence of arrhythmias than non-smokers. From these data it could be suggested that tobacco consumption has an arrhythmogenic effect that can be reverted, at least in part, after smoking withdrawal.
Aparici
M
M
Departamento de Cardiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona.
Fernández González
A L
AL
Peteiro
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation