Acute Effect of Electronic Hookah Smoking on Endothelial Function in Young Healthy Male Adults

Abstract

Smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide. Over recent years, alternative forms of traditional tobacco smoking have emerged, including electronic (e‐) cigarettes and e‐hookah bowls, with claims that they are safer tobacco alternatives. Unlike e‐cigarettes, e‐hookah bowls are used through traditional water‐pipes, allowing the vapor—containing aerosolized nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin, and flavorings—to pass through a water‐filled base, potentially altering the vapor, before it is inhaled to the user's mouth. While e‐cigarettes have been shown to cause acute endothelial dysfunction, the effect of e‐hookah is unknown. In eight overtly healthy, young, male adult hookah smokers who do not smoke cigarettes (age 25±3 years; body mass index, BMI 23.9±2.7 kg·m2 mean±SD), we measured heart rate, blood pressure and endothelial function (as measured by brachial artery flow‐mediated dilation (FMD)) before and after a 30‐minute e‐hookah smoking session. Hookah smoking increased heart rate (Δ heart rate: +10±13 beats.min−1) and blood pressure (ΔSBP: +12±7 mm Hg; ΔDBP: +8±5 mm Hg). Importantly, after e‐hookah smoking, FMD decreased from 6.59 ± 2.61 to 5.33 ± 1.97 %Δ, indicating impaired endothelial function. As functional impairment of the endothelium is one of the first recognizable signs of development of atherosclerosis, this new preliminary data provide an initial line of scientific evidence to counter claims that smoking e‐hookah is a safe tobacco alternative. Future studies are indicated to elucidate the long‐term effects of e‐hookah smoking on vascular health, which overtime could accelerate the development of cardiovascular diseases.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.