ABSTRACT:

Background: Smoking now is identified as a major cause of respiratory diseases, heart related ailments, cancer and a wide variety of other health problems. The total number of tobacco users in the world has been estimated at 1.2 billion, which is expected to rise 1.6 billion during 2020’s.At present, tobacco use causes death of 3.5 ­to 4 million people globally and expected to increase about 10 million during 2020’s. It is well known that the acute effects of smoking produce an increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, tachycardia, cardiac output and vasoconstriction, increase in carotid artery occlusion, and sometimes instantaneous MI. The present study is being undertaken to study the effects of smoking on electrocardiogram and blood pressure among smokers and non-smokers.

Objective: To study the variation of ECG wave forms in healthy young smokers compared to nonsmokers

Methodology: The study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary, Karnataka. The study included 100 apparently healthy males, 50 smokers and 50 non-smokers, between ages 20-35 years. Demographic data, history of smoking habit (quantity and duration) and detailed medical history were obtained from the subjects. Electrocardiogram was recorded during resting state in supine position. The ECG recordings were evaluated for different parameters like heart rate, PR interval, QRS complex, QRS axis, QT interval, QTc interval, ST segment, Q wave and T wave. Results were compared from the two groups using statistical tools.

Results: There was statistically significant increase in heart rate, decrease in PR interval, decrease in QT interval, increase in QTc interval, decrease in QRS axis, decrease in T wave amplitude, occurrence of Q wave in smokers when compared to non-smokers.

Conclusion: The study shows that there were numerous ECG changes in the absence of any cardiac disease in smokers.

Key words: Smokers; Non-smokers; Electrocardiography, ECG changes