The Comparison of Blood Pressure Between Female Smoker and Non-smoker

Abstract

Introduction: The main chemical constituent in cigarette that contributed to hypertension is nicotine. Study shows nicotine elevates blood pressure by release of catecholamine and increases the oxygen free radicals. It also can give an indirect effect of hypertension through alteration of the morphology of papillae in tongue, which results in taste loss. The smoker may have sodium chloride hypogeusia, which makes them consume more salty food, and eventually hypertension will occur. The purpose of this study is to compare the value of blood pressure in female smoker and non-smoker. Method: The data used in this research is secondary data from “Usulan Riset Hibah Fundamental (RFU)” for year 2017 and 2018. There are 135 female samples where 91 of them are non-smoker and 44 of them are smoker. The data is analyzed using normality test. If the data is normally distributed, T-test is carried out. If the data is not normally distributed, Mann Whitney U-test is conducted. Results: The mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the smokers population is 112.9 mmHg while in non-smokers is 107.5 mmHg. While the mean for diastolic blood pressure (DBP) among smokers is 75.8 mmHg while the value of DBP in non-smoker is 74.1 mmHg. The value of SBP is normally distributed, and the result of T-test on SBP is significant (0.008, p<0.01). The value of DBP is not normally distributed, and the result off Mann Whitney U-test is not significant (0.381, p>0.01). Conclusions: Among the female smokers and non-smokers, there are differences in the value of systolic blood pressure, but not in the value of diastolic blood pressure between female smoker and non-smoker.