Exploring the Impact of E-cigarettes on Cardiovascular Health: Insights from Preclinical and Clinical Studies

Abstract

Electronic cigarettes are popular tobacco products that heat e-liquid into an aerosol for inhalation. Since their introduction to the market, electronic cigarettes have been considered a safer alternative to combustible tobacco products. However, most of today's users are adolescents and young adults naïve to tobacco products, who are drawn to e-cigarettes by appealing designs and targeted marketing, resulting in exposure to largely unknown short- and long-term health risks. While the cardiovascular effects of electronic cigarettes remain incompletely understood, there has been a growing concern surrounding their potential acute and chronic impact on cardiovascular health and disease risks. In this review, we examine the components of e-cigarettes and evaluate the cardiovascular effects of both acute and regular e-cigarette exposure, summarizing findings from existing preclinical and clinical studies to provide a comprehensive overview about the topic.

Keywords: Cardiotoxicity; Cardiovascular health; E-cigarettes; Tobacco products.

Fig. 1

The effect of e-cigarette usage on cardiovascular health outcomes. A schematic overview of the cardiovascular effects associated with e-cigarette use. This figure highlights the adverse impact on hemodynamics and arterial stiffness, cardiac function, and vascular function, observed in both clinical and preclinical models, which contribute to heightened cardiovascular disease risk. Figure created with BioRender and published with permission