Central and Peripheral Vascular Effects During Cigarette Smoking

Abstract

Measurements of blood flow to finger, calf and toe segments, and changes in pulmonary blood pulse volume were obtained using a four-electrode impedance plethysmograph in healthy male smokers. Results of cardiac output changes during cigarette smoking using the impedance system were compared with the indocyanine green (Cardio-Green) dye dilution method of measurement. Smoking two cigarettes in succession resulted in a 10% increase in blood pressure, 31% increase in pulse rate, 2% to 6% decrease in skin temperatures of fingers and toes, a 45% to 50% decrease in blood flow to fingers and toes, and a 28% decrease in pulmonary blood pulse volume. Duplicate measurements of cardiac output by dye dilution studies resulted in an increase followed by a decrease. This is compared with a consistent decrease measured by impedance techniques despite an increase in pulse rate. Results of comparative cardiac output studies suggest that cigarette smoking may affect the pulmonary circulation in a more consistent and different manner than the systemic circulation.