Researchers from the University of Sheffield-Hallam have shown that e-cigarettes with or without nicotine, as well as nicotine replacement therapy, have the same positive effect on the cardiovascular system of smokers as they quit smoking. Article published in the journal BMC Medicine.
The researchers recruited 248 adult smokers who smoked 10 or more cigarettes a day and were willing to try to quit with expert support. Participants were randomly divided into three groups: the first group received 18mg/mL nicotine e-cigarettes, the second received nicotine-free e-cigarettes, and the third received nicotine replacement therapy.
At baseline and after three and six months, all participants underwent vascular health tests, including vascular stress testing, acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside testing, and blood pressure measurements. Measures of vascular health improved in more or less the same way in all three groups, meaning that none of the smoking cessation methods showed benefits for the cardiovascular system compared to the others.
Smoking is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and quitting smoking significantly and quickly reduces this risk. Electronic cigarettes with and without nicotine are popular for making it easier to quit smoking. The scientists’ work is one of the first devoted to its effects on the health of blood vessels and the heart.