Smoking and Selected Cardiovascular-Respiratory Measures

The differences between middle-aged smokers and nonsmokers on selected fitness tests were determined on 58 men who volunteered for a physical training program. The nonsmokers (N = 36) were significantly better (.10 level) than smokers (N = 22) on breath holding, vital capacity residual, and area of the brachial pulse wave at rest, but not on several other cardiovascular measures taken at rest, during mental stress, and postexercise. A second study determined the effects of temporary abstinence from smoking on resting cardiac intervals of 10 smokers. Abstinence from the usual pattern of smoking for one day caused significant increases (.10 level) in three (out of four) cardiac intervals.