engleski

Tobacco smoking and heart rate in schizophrenia

Introduction: Since tobacco smoking prevalence is very high in patients with schizophrenia it has been hypothesized that it may represent a self-medication of clinical symptoms and/or side effects of antipsychotic drugs, as well as for reducing stress and managing negative emotions. In general population smoking has been associated with higher resting heart rate. However, as altered stress reactivity has been reported in schizophrenia, this study investigated the effects of smoking on heart rate in patients with schizophrenia. Materials and methods: Study included 71 men (51 smokers, 20 non-smokers) and 162 women (95 smokers and 67 non-smokers) with schizophrenia. The heart rate was measured around 8 a.m. in non-smokers and overnight abstinent tobacco smokers. Five to ten minutes later, smokers smoked their first daily cigarette (corresponding to 1-2 mg/nicotine), and a heart rate was measured again in both smokers and nonsmokers. Results: Since there was no gender related difference in the heart rates of smokers and non-smokers, data for male and female subjects were combined in further analyses. First and second heart rate differed significantly in both smoking (P<0.001) and non-smoking (P=0.003) patients with schizophrenia, demonstrating higher second heart rate in smokers and lower second heart rate in non- smokers. Conclusion: Our findings imply a strong link between tobacco smoking and heart rate elevation in schizophrenia. Although results do not suggest altered psychological response to smoking in schizophrenia patients compared to normal population, there are in line with observed higher mortality of schizophrenia patients, mostly caused by smoking-related cardiovascular diseases.

schizophrenia; smoking; heart rate

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