Platelets of Habitual Smokers Have Reduced Susceptibility to Aggregating Agent

Summary

Platelet aggregation to collagen, and productions of 6-ketoprostagltandin-F₁-alpha and tromboxane 82 during aggregation were measured after an overnight fast, involving both food and cigarettros, in 19 clinically healthy habitual smokers (10 or more cigarettes/day) and 23 non-smokers receiving the same diet. The subjects (all males; ages == 21-30 years) were residents of a school hostel. Mean platelet aggregation was significantly lower in smokerr; than non-smokers (23.2 ohms vs 3L.5 ohmS, p < 0.005). Non-smokers had significantly higher mean concentration of 6-keto-prostaglandin-F₁-alpha than smokers (109.8 pmol/1 vs 92.3 pmol/1, p < 0.05). The level of thromboxane B₂ did not differ significerntly between the two groups. These observations suggest that the role of smokittg as a risk factor for ischaemic heart disease is unlikely to be related to a direct enhancement of aggregation. On the contrary, the observations seem to suggest that habitual smoking may directly reduce platelet aggregability.

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