ACUTE AND CHRONIC EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION AND SMOKING ON THE CARDIAC DIASTOLIC FUNCTIONS AND PULMONARY HAEMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS

Abstract

Background. Cigarette smoking and air pollution are independent risk factors for IHD and increases the risk of stroke, sudden cardiac death and other causes of cardiovascular mortality. Objectives. To assess the ventricular diastolic functions and the pulmonary functions in the chronic smokers and the volunteer’s light smokers before and after smoking one cigarette. Also, assess the PM concentrations in the ambient air of Dammam and AL-Khobar Cities and correlate their concentration levels to the number of patients' admission in hospitals due to CVD. Patients and Methods. Thirty chronic smokers (group I) and thirty volunteers light smokers (group II), underwent