Inhaled Nicotine Disrupts Normal Heart Function

THURSDAY, Oct. 24, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Nicotine delivered by either chronic electronic cigarettes or standard cigarettes disrupts normal heart function, according to a study published online Sept. 11 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Rashid Alavi, Ph.D., from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and colleagues assessed whether the novel intrinsic frequency (IF) metrics derived from carotid pressure waveforms can detect effects of nicotine (from chronic exposure to electronic cigarette vapor or traditional cigarette smoke) on the cardiovascular system. The analysis included 117 healthy adult male and female rats.

The researchers found that standard cigarettes significantly increased the first IF (indicating left ventricle contractile dysfunction). There was a significant reduction in the second IF with electronic cigarettes with nicotine, indicating adverse effects on vascular function. There were no significant differences in the IF metrics between controls and electronic cigarettes without nicotine. There was a significant increase in the total IF variation with exposure to electronic cigarettes with nicotine, suggesting adverse effects on left ventricle–arterial coupling and its optimal state versus electronic cigarettes without nicotine.

“Our results support the growing call for public health policies aimed at reducing exposure to inhaled nicotine and to new synthetic nicotine products not yet on the market,” coauthor Michael Kleinman, Ph.D., from the University of California, Irvine, said in a statement. “APHEL hopes to further unravel the connection between inhaled environmental toxins and heart disease, contributing to safer, healthier communities.”

One author disclosed ties to Ventric Health.

Abstract/Full Text