THE ATHEROGENIC POTENTIAL OF CARBON-MONOXIDE

This paper reviews the available evidence concerning the atherogenic p otential of carbon monoxide. The evidence comes from two different typ es of studies - epidemiology studies on populations of humans chronica lly exposed to carbon monoxide, and animal studies conducted under con ditions of controlled exposure to carbon monoxide. Data from both epid emiology and animal studies suggest that carbon monoxide is not athero genic. Therefore, the increased levels of atherosclerosis associated w ith smoking as reported in epidemiology studies of human smokers proba bly cannot be attributed to CO exposure.