[Evaluation of plasma endothelin-1 concentration in tobacco smoking patients with essential hypertension].

An evident influence of nicotine on vasoconstrictive and mitogenic peptide-- endothelin-1 (ET-1) synthesis and expression of its receptors was observed in experimental investigations. The aim of this study was ET-1 concentration assessment in patients with essential arterial hypertension, regarding nicotine action as ET-1 production stimulant. The investigation enrolled 27 patients with essential hypertension (degree I and II). This group was divided into 2 subgroups: A--11 tobacco smokers and B--16 non-smokers. Both subgroups did not differ as for basic laboratory investigations. Smokers had considerably higher ET-1 concentration than non-smokers. These results may be explained by presented in this paper mechanisms of nicotine on ET-1 influence. Thus smoking cessation in hypertensive patients is very important also because of interactions mentioned above.