CDA Essentials 2018 • Volume 5 • Issue 8

37 Issue 8 | 2018 | S upporting Y our P ractice E-cigarettes are often perceived as a safer alternative to conventional cigarettes and may be promoted as a path to quitting for conventional tobacco smokers. But how much safer are they? A recent pilot study published in Vascular Medicine examined the cardiovascular risks of using e-cigarettes compared to conventional smoking and found that e-cigarette users may be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. 1 Study points to cardiovascular risks of e-cigarettes with nicotine Dr. Klass Franzen, lead author of the study, says the research team wanted to better understand the health risks of vaping e-cigarettes. “We questioned whether e-cigarettes can be used for smoking cessation, or if they cause damage similar to cigarettes,” he says. Their findings show that e-cigarette use with nicotine negatively affected measures of cardiovascular health, including increased blood pressure (peripheral and central), heart rate and arterial stiffness. E-cigarette users had significantly higher peripheral systolic blood pressure (from the upper arm) measurements for 45 minutes after vaping, compared to conventional cigarette smokers, whose blood pressures were elevated 15 minutes after smoking. Likewise, people who vaped an e-cigarette with nicotine had elevated heart rates 45 minutes after vaping, whereas cigarette smokers had elevated heart rates for over 30 minutes. Pulse wave velocity—a measure of arterial stiffness and vascular ageing—was also elevated in both groups (e-cigarettes with nicotine, and cigarettes). Vaping of nicotine-free liquids did not lead to significant changes, but Dr. Franzen believes nicotine can’t account for all the changes they observed in their study. “Although our results show an effect of nicotine, we also found some effects without nicotine—so nicotine is important, but it’s not all.” He says future studies should focus on comparing chronic effects on blood pressure and arterial stiffness of vaping nicotine-containing or nicotine-free liquids. a Researchers asked 15 smokers to smoke either a cigarette, vape an e-cigarette with nicotine, or vape an e-cigarette without nicotine. Then, they took a variety of measures related to cardiovascular health 30 minutes before vaping or smoking and every 15 minutes afterwards for 2 hours. Reference 1. Franzen KF,Willig J, CayoTalavera S, Meusel M, Sayk F, et al. E-cigarettes and cigarettes worsen peripheral and central hemodynamics as well as arterial stiffness: A randomized, double-blinded pilot study. Vasc Med. 2018;23(5):419-25. Visit Oasis Discussions to hear Dr. Franzen discuss the study: wp.me/p2Lv6A-646