A recent study shows that people who use regular cigarettes are at a significantly higher risk of chest pain compared to those who do not use tobacco at all or only use e-cigarettes.
Although e-cigarettes contain fewer toxins than traditional cigarettes, the question of their long-term impact on heart and lung function remains relatively unanswered. The latest study, which is based on Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) data, aimed to investigate the association between self-reported chest pain and e-cigarette use in US users. The results are based on the nicotine habits of over 11,000 adult individuals.
Same risk as non-smokers
The study proceeded by categorising tobacco users and others into four different groups: non-users, e-cigarettes only, regular cigarettes and the combination of both. The results showed that people who used regular cigarettes or both regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes had significantly higher odds of reporting chest pain, both overall and in the past 30 days. But most strikingly, those who used e-cigarettes alone had similar odds to non-users and lower odds compared to the other groups.
Smoking affects the heart
The researchers emphasise the importance of highlighting the potential health risks associated with regular cigarette smoking, including its impact on the heart. The results indicate that e-cigarettes, especially when used exclusively, mean a lower risk of chest pain compared to traditional cigarettes.
Calls for more studies
The researchers behind the study, who work in the Department of Vascular Biology at the Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute and the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine at Boston University, emphasise the need for continued monitoring of long-term consequences from both tobacco products and other substitutes such as e-cigarettes.
Sources in this article:
Electronic cigarette use and chest pain in US adults: Evidence from the PATH study
