Acute effects of smoking light cigarettes on coronary microvascular functions.
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.
Department of Cardiology, Baskent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. drozgurciftci@gmail.com
Ozgur
O
Ciftci
Mustafa
M
Caliskan
Hakan
H
Gullu
Dogan
D
Erdogan
Semra
S
Topcu
Ozgen
O
Guler
Aylin
A
Yildirir
Haldun
H
Muderrisoglu
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*
D009538:Nicotine