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(Circulation. 1971;44:782.)
© 1971 American Heart Association, Inc.

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Carboxyhemoglobin Caused by Smoking Nonnicotine Cigarettes

Effects in Angina Pectoris

WILBERT S. ARONOW M.D.¹ STANLEY N. ROKAW M.D.¹

¹ From the Cardiology Section, Medical Service, Long Beach Veterans Administration Hospital, the Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease Association of Los Angeles County, and the University of California, Irvine and Los Angeles.

The effects of increased carboxyhemoglobin levels caused by smoking nonnicotine cigarettes upon exercise-induced angina were investigated in 10 patients. The mean carboxyhemoglobin level after smoking eight nonnicotine cigarettes, one every 30 minutes, rose from 1.58 to 7.79%. Smoking significantly decreased the mean exercise time from the onset of exercise until the onset of angina from 109.8 to 83.5 seconds. There was significantly less of an increase in systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and product of systolic blood pressure times heart rate after exercise-induced angina after smoking compared to the nonsmoking state. Smoking nonnicotine cigarettes increased the carboxyhemoglobin level, decreasing the rate of oxygen deliverability to the myocardium, with angina developing sooner, following less cardiac work.

Key Words: Nicotine • Coronary heart disease • Exercise

Submitted on April 23, 1971
Accepted on July 9, 1971