Comparative study of ECG profile changes in healthy smokers and non-smokers

Abstract

The nicotine present in the cigarette smoke induces conduction block, acts as a cardiac A-type potassium channels blockers and increase the ventricular fibril formation which also changes the cardiac electric impulses usually assessed via electrocardiogram (ECG). The present study aims to evaluate and compare the ECG profile change in seemingly fit smokers and non-smokers.The present study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, for two years involved 148 patients evaluated for different parameters heart rate, the PR interval, QRS complex QTc (corrected QT interval) using a 12 lead ECG. P-value < 0.05 denotes statistical significance. All the patients were male and the mean age was comparable in non-smoking group (NS) vs smoking group (S) (29.26±5.90 vs. 30.42±6.19 years; p=0.244). Mean systolic (127.43 ± 7.29 (S) vs. 123.03 ± 6.96 (NS) mm Hg; p<0.001) and diastolic BP (80.08 ± 5.15 (S) vs. 77.32 ± 5.76 (NS) mm Hg; p=0.003) were significantly high in smokers. Prolonged QTc interval was noted in 47.30% of the individuals of group S (p<0.001). The mean pulse, QTi, and QTc were significantly high in group S (p<0.001) while the mean respiratory rate (RR) interval was significantly low (p<0.001). There was an increasing trend in terms of pulse, QTi, and QTc based upon increased smoking index while PR interval was significantly high in mild smokers compared to moderate and heavy smokers (p<0.001).Smokers show abnormalities in the ECG profile that may eventually increase the risk of incidence of cardiovascular diseases.