Effect of Smoking on the Central Circulation at Rest and during Exercise as Studied by Radiocardiography

The pulmonary vessels are the first target of tobacco smoke in the circulatory system, but the functional changes occurring in the pulmonary circulation are poorly understood. Hence 46 volunteers were studied by radiocardiography under the following conditions: 1. At rest before and after smoking 2 cigarettes (15 men); 2. After repeated ergometer exercise (5 min, 100 W) with and without smoking (13 men); and 3. Control experiments under the corresponding conditions without smoking (18 subjects). A significant increase occurred in heart rate, cardiac output and systolic arterial blood pressure after smoking when at rest, but an almost significant decrease in pulmonary dispersion volume, whereas the heart rate and pulmonary capillary pressure attained significantly higher values after than before smoking in the exercise tests, with a significant decrease observed in stroke volume, pulmonary blood volume and pulmonary dispersion volume. It is concluded that smoking impairs physical performance, increases pulmonary capillary pressure and reduces pulmonary blood volume and probably the number of open capillaries.

Die Lungengefäße sind der erste Angriffspunkt des Tabakrauches im Kreislauf, doch die änderungen im kleinen Kreislauf sind weitgehend unbekannt. 46 Freiwillige wurden mittels der Radiokardiographie untersucht: 1. In Ruhe vor und nach dem Rauchen zweier Zigaretten (15 Männer); 2. Nach wiederholter Ergometerbelastung (5 Min., 100 W) vor und nach dem Rauchen (13 Männer); und 3. Kontrollversuche unter den gleichen Verhältnissen ohne Rauchen (18 Personen). Eine statistisch signifikante Zunahme der Herzfrequenz, des Herzminutenvolumens und des systolischen Blutdruckes wurde nach dem Rauchen in Ruhe beobachtet sowie eine beinahe signifikante Abnahme des Lungendispersionsvolumens. Bei der Belastung waren die Herzfrequenz und der Lungenkapillardruck signifikant höher nach dem Rauchen mit signifikanter Abnahme des Schlagvolumens, des pulmonalen Blutvolumens und des pulmonalen Dispersionsvolumens. Es wird die Schlußfolgerung gezogen, daß durch das Rauchen die physikalische Leistungsfähigkeit abnimmt, der pulmonale Kapillardruck steigt und das Blutvolumen in den Lungen sowie möglicherweise auch die Zahl der offenen Kapillargefäße reduziert wird.

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