Impact of smoking on heart attacks, strokes, blood pressure control, drug dose, and quality of life aspects in the International Prospective Primary Prevention Study in Hypertension.

Effects of smoking are highlighted in a posthoc analysis of this randomized, double-blind International Prospective Primary Prevention Study in Hypertension (IPPPSH). At the time of entry, 37% of the men and 23% of the women were smoking cigarettes, and only 537 patients changed their smoking status during the trial. In men and women, smoking doubled cardiac and cerebrovascular event rates. Nonsmoking men had fewer myocardial infarctions and sudden deaths when treated with oxprenolol. Smoking status did not affect in-study blood pressure control, the type of drugs, or the combinations used, but smokers were given higher doses of oxprenolol. For a given blood pressure during antihypertensive treatment, rates for cardiac and cerebrovascular events were higher in smokers. Heart rates were higher in both oxprenolol and non-beta-blocker-treated smokers. Smoking dose dependently increased hematocrit level. Among physician-elicited symptoms, dyspnea and cold extremities were more frequent in smokers, whereas dyspnea, headaches, impotence, dizziness, and anxiety states were common, with unsatisfactory blood pressure control (diastolic blood pressure greater than 95 mm Hg). Quality of life may be more jeopardized by smoking, poor blood pressure control, or diuretic use than by beta-blocker-based therapy. In the IPPPSH, the patient who smoked had double the cardiovascular complication rates without cardiac benefit from the beta-blocker despite higher doses given; the higher heart rate and hematocrit level may have been contributing factors.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes