Effects of exercise training on smoking-induced cardiopulmonary diseases. A review of the physiological mechanisms

Objective: Cigarette smoking triggers a plethora of biological mechanisms that promote the development of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Some preclinical studies have shown that exercise training could be effective in blunting oxidative stress and inflammatory response induced by cigarette smoking. Therefore, we aim to analyze the effect of exercise training on pulmonary and cardiovascular system in experimental models of cigarette smoking. Methods: A systematic search was performed in order to identify studies addressed to evaluate the effects of exercise training on pulmonary and/or cardiovascular damage induced by cigarette smoking in animal models. Results: fourteen articles were identified, all of them performed in rats or mice. Running and swimming were the only training methods and whole-body smoke exposition was the most prevalent smoking protocol used in the studies. Conclusion: The studies support the hypothesis that exercise training performed before, concurrently or after smoking can blunt or even revert the oxidative stress and inflammatory response in animals exposed to cigarette smoke, which could contribute to recovering its cardiovascular and respiratory function.