Smoking and Carboxyhemoglobin in the St. Louis Metropolitan Population

Abstract

The most important source of carbon monoxide (CO) exposure is smoking. If a person smokes and inhales, the carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level in his blood is due primarily to smoking, and other sources of CO exposure are relatively unimportant. The COHb data for smokers are analyzed by type of smoking, sex, and whether or not the subject has an industrial occupation. Data indicate that men and women who smoke at the same rate reach the same equilibrium level of COHb, but women achieve lower COHb levels after ceasing smoking for the day. Restriction or elimination of cigarette smoking makes the most sense for protecting the atherosclerotic population from chronic CO exposure.