ELECTROLYTE CHANGES IN CIGARETTE SMOKING MALE STUDENTS

The Cigarette smoke reaches quickly to heart, brain and other parts of our body and may cause effects in less than a second as it is inhaled directly into the alveoli and is diffused into the pulmonary vein. Inspite of numerous studies to elucidate the role of electrolytes in smoking, no clear understanding of the influence of cigarette smoking on electrolytes is still known in literature partly because of varying methodological approaches while assessing the clinical and physiological manifestations. Hence, it was planned to carry out the present study involving university male students having habit of cigarette smoking for varying periods. No significant variations for plasma sodium and potassium, but a clear significant decrease in calcium levels were obtained in a group of subjects smoking 3-5 cigarettes per day. Another group of subjects having varying levels of cigarettes smoking activity (cigarettes/ day) showed significant decrease in plasma sodium, potassium and calcium. The present investigation, hence provides basic information about the pathogenetic role of electrolytes in cigarette smoking, and emphasizes for further comprehensive studies essentially required to be conducted with appropriate control measurements.