Does long-term smoking affect myocardial blood flow, coronary vasomotion, and vasodilator capacity?
Long-term smoking is associated with dose-dependent coronary endothelial dysfunction, while endothelium-independent vascular smooth muscle relaxation remains preserved.
The normal hyperemic response to dipyridamole in long-term smokers indicates a preserved endothelium-independent coronary vascular smooth muscle relaxation, whereas the abnormal response to cold suggests a defect in coronary vasomotion likely located at the level of the coronary endothelium. Its severity depends on the total exposure time to smoking.
Campisi et al. (Tue,) studied this question.