Effects of cigarette smoke on Holter ECG recordings in patients with arterial hypertension. Part 2: Parameters of heart rate turbulence

•Evaluation of cigarette smoke effect on HRT in patients with AH.•Active smoking is risk factor for an abnormal HRT in hypertensive patients.•“Passive smoking” is risk factor for an abnormal HRT in hypertensive patients.

The studies aimed at evaluation of cigarette smoke effect on heart rate turbulence (HRT) in patients with arterial hypertension (AH). 223 consecutive individuals were qualified to the studies. The following groups of patients not suffering from other disease which may affect HRT were distinguished: 1 – patients with AH (n = 145); 2 – patients without AH (n = 48). In group 1 the following patient subgroups were studied: A – active smokers (n = 42), B – non-smokers exposed to cigarette smoke (n = 30), C – non-smokers not exposed to tobacco smoke (n = 34), D – former smokers who had quit smoking (n = 26). In every participant HRT analysis was conducted. Subgroup A manifested significantly higher values of TO and lower values of TS as compared to analogous values obtained in subgroups B–D. Subgroups B and D were characterized also by significantly higher values of TO and lower values of TS as compared to subgroup C. Active and passive cigarette smoking were found to represent independent risk factors for an abnormal HRT.ConclusionBoth active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke induces causes abnormal HRT in patients with arterial hypertension.