Microcirculation parameters in hypertensive patients who stopped smoking, depending on the duration of smoking cessation

Background. The article presents the results of the original study on the under-investigated issues of the effects of smoking cessation on the microcirculation parameters in patients with arterial hypertension (AH). Objective: evaluation of the microcirculation parameters in hypertensive patients who stopped smoking, depending on the duration of smoking cessation. Methods. 94 hypertensive patients with different smoking status (previously smoked, smokers, non-smokers) were examined; microcirculation in all patients was studied by the direct conjunctival videobiomicroscopy. Results. The positive effect of smoking cessation on the microcirculation parameters involved in the pathogenesis of AH (average arteriolar diameter, arteriole-to-venule ratio, and number of capillaries per 1 mm2 of conjunctival surface) was detected. It was found that the parameters changed by smoking begin to recover in the first two years of abstinence. Conclusion. The parallels between the smoking status, the degree of hypertension in the final diagnoses and the microcirculation parameters allowed the authors to recommend smoking cessation as an effective therapeutic measure.

arterial hypertension, smoking cessation, microvasculature, conjunctival microscopy