Effects of cigarette smoking on lipids profile

Abstract

Cigarette smoking is one of the major risk factors in the genesis of coronary atherosclerosis and heart disease. This study aims to investigate the effects of smoking on the lipid profile. 110 healthy male subjects participated in this study, 70 smokers and 40 non-smokers in the age range of 18 and 50 years at medical laboratory department in higher institute of sciences and medical techniques, Mesallata, Libya, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) , low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) were measured. The result showed that significant increase levels of TC, TG, VLDL and LDL in smokers group compared to non-smokers group (P < 0.001). While HDL significantly decrease in smokers compared to non-smokers group (P <0.001). In conclusion cigarette smoking has severe adverse effects on lipids profile which includes increasing the levels of TC, TG, LDL and VLDL with a decrease in HDL level. Smoking whether light or heavy equally affects lipid profile levels, this dyslipidemic levels among smokers may provide a mechanism whereby smoking predisposes to greater risk of developing atherosclerotic plaques and chronic heart disease.