Inhaled Nicotine Disrupts Normal Heart Function
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Oct. 24, 2024 -- Nicotine delivered by either chronic electronic cigarettes or standard cigarettes disrupts normal heart function, according to a study published online Sept. 11 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Rashid Alavi, Ph.D., from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and colleagues assessed whether the novel intrinsic frequency (IF) metrics derived from carotid pressure waveforms can detect effects of nicotine (from chronic exposure to electronic cigarette vapor or traditional cigarette smoke) on the cardiovascular system. The analysis included 117 healthy adult male and female rats.
The researchers found that standard cigarettes significantly increased the first IF (indicating left ventricle contractile dysfunction). There was a significant reduction in the second IF with electronic cigarettes with nicotine, indicating adverse effects on vascular function. There were no significant differences in the IF metrics between controls and electronic cigarettes without nicotine. There was a significant increase in the total IF variation with exposure to electronic cigarettes with nicotine, suggesting adverse effects on left ventricle–arterial coupling and its optimal state versus electronic cigarettes without nicotine.
"Our results support the growing call for public health policies aimed at reducing exposure to inhaled nicotine and to new synthetic nicotine products not yet on the market," coauthor Michael Kleinman, Ph.D., from the University of California, Irvine, said in a statement. "APHEL hopes to further unravel the connection between inhaled environmental toxins and heart disease, contributing to safer, healthier communities."
One author disclosed ties to Ventric Health.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted October 2024
Read this next
Body Fat Percentage Better Predictor of 15-Year Mortality Than BMI
TUESDAY, July 1, 2025 -- For young adults, body fat percentage is a better predictor of 15-year mortality risk than body mass index (BMI), according to a study published online...
Degree of Weight Loss Affects Tirzepatide-Linked Cardiometabolic Risk Improvement
TUESDAY, July 1, 2025 -- For adults with obesity or overweight, tirzepatide-linked improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors are associated with the degree of weight reduction...
32 Percent of U.S. Adults Consumed Fast Food on a Given Day in 2021 to 2023
FRIDAY, June 27, 2025 -- Over 30 percent of adults and children consumed fast food on a given day during August 2021 to August 2023, according to two reports from the National...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.