Vasopressor systems during smoking in humans

A. Dietz, A. Schomig, K. Kusterer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study we correlated the effects of cigarette smoking on the activity of vasopressor systems in humans with changes in heart rate and blood pressure and compared them with changes observed after physical exercise or graded norepinephrine infusion. No relationship was established between changes in either plasma angiotensin II or vasopressin concentration and the hemodynamic parameters, although there was a small increase in both hormones during smoking. In contrast, heart rate (r = -0.245, p < 0.01, n = 136) was negatively related to plasma norepinephrine concentration during the smoking of five cigarettes. A comparable, negative correlation, although much closer, was found during graded norepinephrine infusion between heart rate and norepinephrine concentration (r = -0.682, p < 0.001), whereas both parameters were positively related under conditions of physical exercise (r = 0.866, p < 0.001). In an attempt to block the assumed nicotine-induced sympathetic stimulation, smoking experiments were carried out after acute beta blockade (200 mg metoprolol orally). There was a parallel shift of heart rate and blood pressure to lower values. However, beta blockade did not abolish the smoking-induced rise in blood pressure and heart rate. At the present time no direct evidence is available for a nicotine-induced increase of norepinephrine concentration at postsynaptic receptors during smoking in humans. The absent (or insignificant) rise in plasma norepinephrine concentration following smoking could be interpreted as the absence of sympathetic stimulation, partial stimulation of sympathetic discharge to a few target organs with no measurable net increase of norepinephrine overflow to mixed venous blood, or co-occurrence of an increase in norepinephrine release and an enhanced degradation of the released neurotransmitter. To prove which of these different concepts is valid, sensitive assays for norepinephrine metabolites in plasma are required as well as measurements of arteriovenous organ differences of norepinephrine concentration during smoking.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)11-17
Number of pages7
JournalKlinische Wochenschrift
Volume62
Issue numberSUPPL. 2
StatePublished - 1984
Externally publishedYes

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