Acute effects of cigarette smoking on platelet function and plasma catecholamines in hypertensive and normotensive men.

In this randomized controlled crossover study essential hypertensive men (n = 13) and matched normotensive controls (n = 18) were examined before and during cigarette and sham smoking to assess the acute effects of smoking on platelets and plasma catecholamines. Platelet activity in vivo was determined by measurements of the released alpha-granule constituent beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) in plasma and in urine. Urinary high molecular weight beta-TG and venous plasma epinephrine increased significantly during smoking in the hypertensive group, but not among the normotensive men. Thus, cigarette smoking induces a mild platelet release reaction and also elicits a significantly higher epinephrine response in hypertensive men compared to normotensive controls.