Summary
Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research study investigating the impact of tobacco cigarettes and electronic cigarettes on ventricular repolarization and the risk of sudden death. The study compares the effects of acute smoking and e-cigarette use on electrocardiogram (ECG) indices of ventricular repolarization. The key points of the study design and results are summarized below.
Key Points:
* The study included 37 chronic tobacco cigarette smokers, 43 chronic e-cigarette users, and 65 non-users.
* ECG recordings were obtained during a parallel group comparison and a crossover study.
* In the parallel group comparison, resting ECG intervals reflecting ventricular repolarization were compared among the three groups.
* In the crossover study, chronic tobacco cigarette smokers participated in up to two acute smoking sessions, chronic e-cigarette users and non-users participated in up to four 30-minute acute exposure sessions.
* acute tobacco cigarette smoking and e-cigarette use significantly increased plasma nicotine levels and heart rate.
* In chronic tobacco cigarette smokers, all primary outcomes indicative of ventricular repolarization significantly prolonged after smoking 1 tobacco cigarette compared to puffing on an empty straw.
* In chronic e-cigarette users, the primary outcome of Tp-e/qT was increased after using an e-cigarette with nicotine but not after any of the other exposures.
* The prolongation in Tp-e and Tp-e/qTc, but not Tp-e/qTc, were significantly greater after smoking the tobacco cigarette compared to using the e-cigarette with nicotine.
* In non-users, there was no significant change in any of the primary outcomes after any of the acute exposures.
Main Message:
The study confirms that tobacco cigarette smoking has an adverse effect on ECG indices of ventricular repolarization. In chronic e-cigarette users, an adverse effect of using an e-cigarette with nicotine, but not without nicotine, on ECG indices of ventricular repolarization was also observed. The results suggest that e-cigarette use may not be a safer alternative to tobacco cigarettes and may also carry a risk of sudden death. Therefore, it is important to regulate e-cigarettes and inform the public about the potential risks associated with their use.
Citation
Ip M, Diamantakos E, haptonstall K, et al. Tobacco and electronic cigarettes adversely impact ECG indexes of ventricular repolarization: implication for sudden death risk. american journal of physiology heart and circulatory physiology. 2020;318(5):h1176-h1184. doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00738.2019
