Heart Muscle Diseases -— The Cardiomyopathies Part IV: The State of the Left Ventricular Myocardium Following Cigarette Smoking Influence of Nicotine Administration and Carbon Monoxide Exposure

Abstract

Cigarette smokers have been shown to have twice the overall death rate of non-smokers in most western societies (1—3). Similarly sudden death is reported to be strongly related to cigarette smoking (2). On the basis of these and other epidemiologic studies cigarette smoking is considered to be one of the risk factors in the development of cardiac disease and myocardial infarction (3,4). The relative rarity of angina pectoris in smokers with heart disease (3,5) raises the question as to whether myocardial alterations may contribute to the clinical abnormalities of these patients independently of coronary vascular disease. • Since the above changes were not noted in animals smoking low nicotine cigarettes myocardiai effects appeared predominantly depenacnt upc’n nicotin’ rather than carbon monoxide. Conclusions: Although cigarette smoking is now a well established risk factor for coronary artery disease and cardiac-.disease related sudden deaths, myocarciial abnormalities appear to play a siguincant and independent role. Certain precautions in the direct transfer of’ these data However are necessary. Acknowledgement: We gratefully acknow!edge the technical services rendered by many of our colleagues, and technicians in the animal support laboratories. We appreciate the secretarial services of Mrs. Charlotte Blocker in typing this manuscript.