Smoking is an addictive process. The sensation of drawing smoke into the mouth and the effect of nicotine provides smokers with satisfaction. Acute withdrawal may result in increased anxiety, sleep disturbances, and irritability.

In moderate or heavy smokers, the forced expiratory volume-/second (FEV-l) is reduced following spinal anesthesia above T10. Also, the forced midexpiratory flow and the forced expiratory flow are markedly reduced. Thus, for prevention of accumulation of secretions in small airways, it is advised that patients be in structed to frequently take deep breaths and cough [...]

Smoking increases the production of Hb, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets and increases plate let reactivity. There is also an increase in fibrinogen. These result in an increase in the hematocrit and the blood viscosity, leading to an increased thrombotic tendency. The result is an increased incidence of arterial thromboembolic disease in [...]

Despite the warnings of health hazards of cigarette smoking, still one third of the population in industrial countries smoke. Cigarette smoke contains over 4000 substances, some of which are pharmacologically active, some antigenic, some cytotoxic, some mutagenic, and some others carcinogenic. It consists of a gaseous phase and a particulate phase. Eighty to 90% of [...]