Assessment of Plasma Total Antioxidant Activity in Hypertensive Smokers

Oxidative stress has been found to be involved in the development of endothelial dysfunction leading to hypertension. In addition, smoking has been found to be associated with increased production of free radicals & endothelial dysfunction. The objectives of present study were to ascertain the plasma TAA and erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in normotensive and hypertensive smokers, and to determine their cumulative effect in the development of HT in smokers. In the present study, aforesaid parameters were estimated in 90 subjects (30-60 years), categorized into three groups (30 subjects in each group) depending upon their smoking habit and blood pressure i.e. Healthy non smokers (Control group), normotensive smokers (Group I) and Hypertensive smokers (Group II); and compared it statistically by using student’s ttest. Plasma TAA levels were significantly low (p<0.05, p< 0.001) in Group I and II, as compared to healthy controls where as erythrocyte MDA levels were significantly high in both the study groups (P<0.05 & P<0.001) with respect to controls. Our findings indicate that alteration in plasma total antioxidant status along with oxidative stress (via MDA production) may be responsible for biomolecular deterioration and disturbance in homeostatic control leading to the etiopathogenesis of HT in smokers. Therefore, preventive approach against smoking along with incorporation of antioxidant rich diet could be effective in reducing the incidence of hypertension amongst smokers.