PP.30.06

Abstract

Objective: Shisha or water pipe smoking is becoming popular as a way of tobacco use in the world. This study was designed to evaluate the acute effects of shisha smoking on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) in healthy adults. Design and method: The study was carried out in 6 restaurants where shisha could be smoked. Individuals who ordered shisha were identified and were consented to enroll in the study (shisha group). Controls consisted of subjects who were sitting on the same table of shisha smokers but who did not smoke shisha (passive smokers group) and of subjects who were sitting in non-smoking sections of the restaurant far away from shisha smokers (non-smokers group). Subjects who smoked shisha within the previous 12 hours or any cigarette within the previous 1 hour, and those with known ischemic cardiovascular disease were excluded. BP and HR were measured with an automated sphygmomanometer immediately before and 15 minutes after smoking shisha, or at baseline and 15 minutes later in controls. Results: 194 subjects were enrolled: 101 shisha smokers, 51 passive smokers and 42 non-smokers. There were no differences in age, body mass index and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus or hyperlipidemia between the 3 groups. Shisha smokers however, were more commonly males (65% vs. 49% and 45%; p = 0.04); passive smokers had more frequently a history of hypertension (22% vs. 9% for shisha smokers and 5% for non-smokers; p = 0.02). Cigarette smoking tended to be more common in the shisha and passive smokers groups (24% and 22% vs. 7% in non-smokers; p = 0.07). Systolic and diastolic BP and HR significantly increased after 15 minutes of smoking in the shisha group but did not change significantly in the 2 other groups (table). Oxygen saturation did not change in any of the groups (98% at baseline and at 15 minutes).Conclusions: Shisha smoking for duration as short as 15 minutes has acute hemodynamic effects and significantly increases systolic and diastolic BP and HR. Whether chronic shisha smoking can result in sustained hypertension requires further investigations.