Echocardiographic consequences of smoking status in middle-aged subjects.

BackgroundSmoking is known to have many short- and long-term cardiovascular effects. Cardiac index (CI), which is cardiac output indexed to body surface area, is considered to be a valid measure of cardiac performance. We investigated whether there were any differences in CI or other echocardiographic variables between never smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers in a cardiopulmonary healthy population. MethodsSubjects (n=355) from a previous population-based respiratory questionnaire survey (never smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers without significant chronic obstructive lung disease) were examined with echocardiography, and CI (L/min/m(2)) was calculated. ResultsCurrent smokers had a higher CI than never smokers 2.610.52L/min/m(2) vs. 2.42 +/- 0.49L/min/m(2) (P<.01). Ex-smokers had a nonsignificant, numerically higher value for CI than never smokers 2.54 +/- 0.54L/min/m(2) vs. 2.42 +/- 0.49L/min/m(2) (P>.05). Smoking status had no significant effect on other echocardiographic variables. ConclusionWe conclude that currents smokers without known cardiac disease or significant chronic obstructive lung disease show signs of slightly altered hemodynamics.