Summary
Introduction:
This narrative review compares the effects of vaping and cigarette smoking on respiratory, cardiovascular, and muscle function. The authors aimed to determine the unmet need of understanding the effects of vaping on cardio-respiratory function in humans and how this is related to the daily vaping volume and/or for how long one has been vaping.
Key Points:
* Vaping has been found to cause similar effects as smoking on lung function and cardiovascular function.
* Vaping and smoking increase peripheral airway resistance, airway obstruction, and inflammation.
* Vaping may cause acute small-airway constriction and airway epithelial injury, leading to increased risk of wheezing and respiratory symptoms.
* Nicotine inhaled from vaping or smoking triggers parasympathetic cholinergic pathways leading to bronchoconstriction.
* Vaping may have negative effects on lung health due to the presence of toxic substances such as diacetyl, polycyclic hydrocarbons, and cariogenic compounds.
* Vaping and smoking may have similar effects on blood pressure and heart rate.
* There are no studies on the effects of vaping on muscle function and/or skeletal muscle size.
Main Message:
The study finds that vaping has similar effects as smoking on lung function and cardiovascular function. The study highlights the need for more research to determine the severity of smoking- and vaping-induced decrements on muscle function. The findings suggest that vaping is not a safer alternative to smoking and may have negative effects on lung health due to the presence of toxic substances. The study emphasizes the need for regulations on the composition of e-cigarette liquids and restrictions or bans on e-cigarettes until more information about their safety is available.
Citation
Darabseh MZ, Selfe J, Morse CI, Degens H. Is vaping better than smoking for cardiorespiratory and muscle function? Multidisciplinary respiratory medicine. 2020;15(1):674. doi:10.4081/mrm.2020.674
