Abstract
Background: We tried to understand whether there are some effects of smoking on systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BP).
Method: Consecutive daily smokers at least with six pack months and age and sex-matched non-smokers were taken into the study. Cases with regular alcohol consumption (one drink a day) for at least six months and patients with inflammatory, infectious, or devastating disorders or heart failure were excluded.
Results: The study included 247 smokers (173 males) and 167 non-smokers. Mean age of the smokers was 46.2 years, and 70.0% of them were males. Although the plasma triglycerides (163.1 versus 151.3 mg/dL, p<0.05), low density lipoproteins (LDL) (123.8 versus 117.5 mg/dL, p<0.05), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (10.6 versus 9.3 mm/h, p<0.05), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (2.3 versus 2.0 mg/L, p<0.05) values were all higher in the smokers, the body weight, body mass index (BMI), and systolic and diastolic BP were not changed in them. On the other hand, high density lipoproteins (HDL) (40.9 versus 44.0 mg/dL, p<0.05) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (102.3 versus 111.6 mg/dL, p= 0.007) values and prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) (8.9% versus 14.3%, p<0.05) were all lower in the smokers.
Conclusion: Smoking causes a low-grade systemic inflammation on vascular endothelium terminating with an accelerated atherosclerosis-induced end-organ insufficiencies all over the body. Although the plasma triglycerides, LDL, ESR, and CRP were increased, and HDL, FPG, and DM were decreased in the smokers, the body weight, BMI, and systolic and diastolic BP were not changed in them, significantly.
Keywords: Smoking; Systolic Blood Pressure; Diastolic Blood Pressure; Triglycerides; Low Density Lipoproteins; High Density Lipoproteins; Fasting Plasma Glucose
