Abstract
The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of smoking on serum lipids and blood pressure in Turkish Adults. Serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, smoking and blood pressure are established as majör risk factors for coronary heart disease. Turkey, a developing country, has a high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, despite low levels ofplasma cholesterol. The relations between smoking, serum lipids and blood pressure was examined in pilot study of 301 women and men aged 25 to 75 years from Middle Region of Anatolia (Aksaray-Ortaköy). Eighty individuals has coronary heart disease and the other 221 subjects were healthy. Serum lipid levels were measured enzymatically The impact ofcigarette smoking on serum lipid levels was assessed by comparing smokers (n=53), ex-smokers {n-24) and non-smokers (n-224). Serum total cholesterol levels in smoker's group was higher than those of the other groups, but differences were insignificant (p>0.05). Serum HDLcholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and blood pressure levels were not statistically different between smoker, ex-smoker and non-smoker groups (p>0.05). Effect of age, sex, presence of heart disease or not, quetelet index (kg/m2 ), and nutritional habits on the serum lipid profile were also
statistically investigated. When blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) was compared according to age, blood pressure in young people (under 45) was found lower than that of people who are above 45 years old (p<0.01).