Summary
Introduction:
This article provides an overview of a study examining the relationship between nicotine and novel tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes and heat-not-burn tobacco, and their impact on cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. The study presents original data demonstrating maladaptive cardiac remodeling driven by chronic, inhaled nicotine in a mouse model, as well as a review of preclinical literature implicating nicotine and novel tobacco products in cardiac remodeling and dysfunction.
Key Points:
* The study utilized adult, male C57BL/6J mice exposed to room air or chronic, inhaled nicotine for eight weeks.
* a subset of mice was infused with angiotensin-II (ang-II) via subcutaneous osmotic mini-pumps during the final four weeks of exposure.
* Left ventricular structure and function were assessed using echocardiography.
* Chronic, inhaled nicotine abrogated ang-II-induced thickening of the left ventricular posterior wall, leading to reduced relative wall thickness.
* ang-II infusion was associated with increased left ventricular mass index in both air- and nicotine-exposed mice.
* The changes suggest a phenotypic shift from concentric hypertrophy to eccentric hypertrophy in nicotine-exposed, hemodynamically-stressed mice, which could drive heart failure pathogenesis.
* The study also reviewed preclinical literature linking nicotine and novel tobacco products with cardiac remodeling and dysfunction.
Main Message:
The study highlights the potential risks associated with nicotine and novel tobacco product use, particularly in relation to cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. While further exploration is necessary, clinicians and researchers should not overlook these emerging products as potential risk factors in the pathogenesis of cardiac remodeling and associated diseases, including heart failure.
Citation
Fried ND, Oakes JM, Whitehead aK, Lazartigues E, Yue X, Gardner JD. Nicotine and novel tobacco products drive adverse cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in preclinical studies. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine. 2022;9:993617. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2022.993617
