Evaluation of smoking-induced effects on sympathetic, hemodynamic and metabolic variables with respect to plasma nicotine and COHb levels.

The effect of smoking cigarettes containing 1.5 mg and 0.08 mg nicotine per cigarette and of sham-smoking was studied in six healthy habitual smokers. Levels of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) and plasma nicotine were measured simultaneously with hemodynamic variables, such as heart rate and blood pressure, and with the metabolic parameters, plasma DBH, cortisol, blood glucose, lactate and free fatty acids. All variables, with the exception of COHb are dose related to plasma nicotine levels. Blood pressure, heart rate and lactate show simultaneous peaks together with maximal nicotine levels, while DBH and cortisol, blood glucose and free fatty acids show a delayed reaction compared to nicotine concentrations. No effects of COHb, even with levels up to 5.6 +/- 0.5% have been observed on the variables investigated. These results demonstrate, that it is nicotine which induces considerable hemodynamic and metabolic alterations after smoking.