Relative effects of cigarette smoke and ethanol on acute platelet thrombus formation in stenosed canine coronary arteries

Abstract

In 10 open chest dogs with mechanically stenosed coronary arteries acute platelet thrombus formation with subsequent embolisation reduced coronary blood flow cyclically by -10.2(3.3) ml·min⁻² (as measured with an electromagnetic flow probe). Ventilating the dogs with cigarette smoke increased the flow reductions to -13.5(4.6) ml·min⁻². Ethanol 1.0 ml·kg⁻¹ iv completely abolished acute thrombus formation and flow reductions in all 10 dogs. Repeat ventilation with cigarette smoke after ethanol failed to renew flow reductions in nine of the 10 dogs. It is suggested that ethanol effectively inhibits the exacerbating effects of cigarette smoke on acute platelet thrombus formation when both are being used simultaneously.