E-cigarette effects on vascular function in animals and humans.

Introduction:
This article reviews the adverse health impact of tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes, emphasizing their detrimental effects on endothelial function and cardiovascular health. The study highlights the significant variation in the main results among clinical studies on e-cigarettes and cardiovascular risk. The article also discusses the contribution of second-hand vapor effects and the potential health risks of e-cigarette use during pregnancy.

Key Points:

* The study focuses on the potential health risks of e-cigarette use, particularly its association with endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.
* The article highlights the significant variation in the main results among clinical studies on e-cigarettes and cardiovascular risk.
* The study discusses the contribution of second-hand vapor effects and the potential health risks of e-cigarette use during pregnancy.
* The review summarizes the pathomechanisms of smoking that lead to cardiovascular diseases, primarily mediated by oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction.
* The article identifies four major oxidative stress-mediated pathways that contribute to endothelial dysfunction, blood pressure increases, atherosclerotic changes, and ischemic events.
* The study demonstrates that e-cigarette vapor exposure causes substantial endothelial dysfunction, cardio-/cerebrovascular ROS formation, eNOS uncoupling, higher activity of the phagocytic NaDPh oxidase (NOX-2), exacerbated endothelin-1 expression, and adduct formation of acrolein with proteins.
* The review identifies the blockade of endothelin-1 receptor signaling by macitentan and activating the antioxidant and protective transcription factor FOXO3 by bepridil as potential pharmacological targets for mitigating e-cigarette vapor-associated cardiovascular damage.

Main Message:
The review emphasizes the need for further research on the long-term health effects of e-cigarette use, particularly its association with cardiovascular disease and endothelial dysfunction. The study highlights the potential health risks of second-hand vapor exposure and e-cigarette use during pregnancy. The review suggests that e-cigarette vapor exposure causes similar vascular damage and endothelial dysfunction as tobacco cigarette smoking, with oxidative stress and inflammation as critical pathomechanisms. The article concludes that e-cigarettes are not a healthy alternative to tobacco smoking and may harm human health. Therefore, e-cigarettes should be strictly regulated, and their use should be discouraged, especially among young people.

Daiber a, Kuntic M, Oelze M, hahad O, Münzel T. E-cigarette effects on vascular function in animals and humans. Pflugers archiv : European journal of physiology. 2023;475(7):783-796. doi:10.1007/s00424-023-02813-z