Scientists from the United States discovered it in an investigation in mice
Electronic cigarettes are the most common form of electronic nicotine delivery systems and electronic nicotine-free systems. They contain varying amounts of that tobacco compound and cause harmful emissions, and some products advertised as nicotine-free have been found to contain it. Until now, scientific data has revealed that they are harmful to health. A new study conducted in the United States provided more results in that direction.
Exposure to e-cigarette aerosols has been found to lead to cardiac arrhythmias. At least in animals.
The study was carried out by researchers at the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, which depends on the University of Louisville, in the United States. The results of the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, suggest that exposure to specific chemicals in e-cigarette liquids (e-liquids) promote arrhythmias and cardiac electrical dysfunction.
They are sometimes called “e-cigarettes” or “e-cigarettes”, “e-cigs”, “vapers”, “electronic hookahs” or “e-hookahs”, “vapor pens” and “electronic delivery systems”. of nicotine” (ENDS, for its acronym in English). Some electronic cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Others look like flash drives, pens, or other everyday items.
The researchers tested the cardiac impacts of inhaling e-cigarette aerosols from only the two main e-liquid ingredients (nicotine-free propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin) or nicotine-flavored retail e-liquids.
They found that, across all e-cigarette aerosols, the animals’ heart rates slowed down during exposure to the puffs of smoke and sped up afterwards, while heart rate variability decreased, indicating stress responses of fight or flight
In addition, inhalations of a menthol-flavored or propylene glycol-flavored e-liquid alone caused ventricular arrhythmias and other heart conduction irregularities.
The work was done in collaboration with Daniel Conklin and Aruni Bhatnagar.
The work adds to a growing body of research on the potential toxicity and health impacts of e-cigarettes, reported by the American Heart Association’s Center for Tobacco Addiction and Regulation. “The results of this study are important because they provide new evidence that e-cigarette use might interfere with normal heart rhythms, something we didn’t know about before,” said Bhatnagar.
However, electronic cigarettes can release aldehydes, particulates, and nicotine at levels comparable to fuel cigarettes.
Vaping may help smokers quit fuel cigarettes, but the allure and addictiveness of e-cigarettes may encourage young people to vape amid unknown long-term risks or to start smoking, the scientists said. More than 25% of high school students and 10% of high school students in the US reported using e-cigarettes before the pandemic.