Evidence in man that cigarette smoking induces vasopressin release via an airway-specific mechanism

The plasma vasopressin response to intravenous nicotine (2 mg) and smoking cigarettes of high (1.2 mg) and low (0.6 mg) nicotine content was studied in healthy young subjects with a history of cigarette smoking. Nicotine administered intravenously had no effect on plasma vasopressin. There was a statistically significant increase in plasma vasopressin after both the low and high content cigarettes, with the high content cigarettes resulting in a significantly greater increase. All three interventions resulted in transient increases in blood pressure and pulse of similar magnitude. These studies indicate that cigarette smoking-induced vasopressin release is not mediated via an action of circulating nicotine, and suggest the presence of an airway-specific mechanism for vasopressin release.