Carbon monoxide kinetics following simulated cigarette smoking.

Carbon monoxide kinetics were measured in the blood (% carboxyhemoglobin) and alveolar phase (ppm carbon monoxide) after simulated cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking was simulated using the same amount of carbon monoxide that 2R1F cigarettes manufactured by the Tobacco Research Institute would contain. Ten boluses of air containing carbon monoxide equivalent to smoking one cigarette were inhaled by six healthy nonsmoker volunteers. Carbon monoxide in the air phase was measured by an Ecolyzer and carboxyhemoglobin was measured by a CO-Oximeter. The mean rise in alveolar carbon monoxide immediately and 20 min after inhaling the last bolus was 3.3 and 3.1 ppm, respectively (P less than .005). The mean rise in carboxyhemoglobin immediately and 20 min after inhalation of the last bolus was 0.8 and 0.5%, respectively (P less than .005). The changes in carboxyhemoglobin were found to be similar to changes that occur when on cigarette is actually smoked.