Cigarette and e-cigarette dual use and risk of cardiopulmonary symptoms in the Health eHeart Study

Introduction:
This article reports the findings of a study examining the relationship between cigarette and e-cigarette use and cardiopulmonary symptoms in the Health eHeart Study. The study aimed to investigate whether dual users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes have reduced exposure to tobacco smoke or health risks.

Key Points:

* The study analyzed baseline data from the Health eHeart Study, a large-scale, ongoing internet-based study.
* The study participants were categorized into four groups based on their cigarette and e-cigarette use: neither, e-cigarettes only, cigarettes only, and dual users.
* The study found that dual users reported a higher median number of cigarettes smoked per day compared to cigarette-only users.
* Dual users also exhibited worse median general health scores and breathing scores compared to those who only smoked cigarettes.
* Having a history of arrhythmia was significantly different between cigarette-only users and dual users.
* Participants who reported e-cigarette use only were more likely to report both short-term and long-term pulmonary symptoms and conditions, including breathing difficulty, asthma, and COPD.
* Compared to those who reported neither e-cigarette or cigarette use, those who reported e-cigarette only use were more likely to report chest pain, palpitations, coronary artery disease, and an arrhythmia.

Main Message:
The main message of this study is that dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes is not associated with reduced exposure to tobacco smoke or health risks. In fact, dual users reported smoking more cigarettes per day and exhibited worse health scores compared to those who only smoked cigarettes. Furthermore, e-cigarette use only was associated with increased risk of pulmonary and cardiovascular symptoms. These findings suggest that dual users and e-cigarette users may require more tailored guidance for quitting smoking and e-cigarette use.

Wang, Julie B., Jeffrey E. Olgin, Gregory Nah, Eric Vittinghoff, Janine K. Cataldo, Mark J. Pletcher, and Gregory M. Marcus. “Cigarette and E-Cigarette Dual Use and Risk of Cardiopulmonary Symptoms in the Health eHeart Study.” Edited by Ruby John Anto. PLOS ONE 13, no. 7 (July 25, 2018): e0198681. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0198681.