This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wolk, R. Articles by Somers, V. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wolk, R. Articles by Somers, V. K.

CLINICAL RESEARCH: CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF TOBACCO

Hemodynamic and autonomic effects of smokeless tobacco in healthy young men

Robert Wolk, MD, PhD^*, Abu S.M. Shamsuzzaman, MBBS, PhD^*, Anna Svatikova, BA^*, Christine M. Huyber^*, Corey Huck, BA^*, Krzysztof Narkiewicz, MD, PhD and Virend K. Somers, MD, PhD, FACC^*,*

^* Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland

Manuscript received July 16, 2004; revised manuscript received November 17, 2004, accepted November 29, 2004.

^* Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Virend K. Somers, Mayo Clinic, DO-4-350, 1216 Second Street SW, Rochester, Minnesota 55902 (Email: somers.virend{at}mayo.edu).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute hemodynamic and autonomic effects of smokeless tobacco.

BACKGROUND: Smokeless tobacco use is increasing. Its cardiovascular effects are not well understood.

METHODS: Sixteen healthy, male, habitual snuff tobacco users (aged 22 ± 1 year) were studied, using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design with two separate experimental sessions: placebo and tobacco. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), electrocardiogram, blood pressure, calf blood flow, nicotine, and catecholamines were measured.

RESULTS: Snuff tobacco increased plasma nicotine from 2.8 ± 0.5 ng/ml to 10.4 ± 1.1 ng/ml. Mean blood pressure increased by 10 ± 1 mm Hg, and heart rate increased by 16 ± 2 beats/min. Peripheral vascular resistance, MSNA, and norepinephrine concentration did not change with tobacco, but epinephrine increased by 50%.

CONCLUSIONS: Oral snuff tobacco increases heart rate, blood pressure, and epinephrine. Despite the increase in blood pressure, there is no decrease in either MSNA or peripheral vascular resistance. Smokeless tobacco is a powerful autonomic and hemodynamic stimulus. Catecholamine release from the adrenal medulla likely contributes to this response.

Abbreviations and Acronyms   BP = blood pressure   HR = heart rate   MSNA = muscle sympathetic nerve activity

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. N Lee Circulatory disease and smokeless tobacco in Western populations: a review of the evidence Int. J. Epidemiol., August 1, 2007; 36(4): 789 - 804. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]