CARDIOVASCULAR AND METABOLIC IMPLICATIONS OF E-CIGARETTE EXPOSURE: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF CURRENT EVIDENCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5699Keywords:
Electronic Cigarettes, Cardiovascular Risk, Cardiometabolic Risk, Hypertension, Endothelial Dysfunction, DyslipidemiaAbstract
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have surged in global popularity as perceived safer alternatives to combustible tobacco, yet growing evidence identifies them as an independent cardiovascular and metabolic risk factor. To synthesize current knowledge, a systematic review was conducted across major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus) for high-quality studies published between 2016 and early 2026, including large-scale epidemiological data from the BRFSS and the Korean Community Health Survey. The analysis reveals that e-cigarette exposure induces acute adverse hemodynamic responses, significantly elevating blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac workload, while chronic use leads to sustained autonomic imbalance with sympathetic predominance. At the vascular level, vaping exacerbates oxidative stress, increases arterial stiffness, and promotes a pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic environment. Crucially, across all cardiometabolic parameters, the most detrimental health outcomes are consistently observed among "dual users" who concurrently use both e-cigarettes and traditional combustible tobacco. Ultimately, this review refutes the narrative that e-cigarettes are a benign harm-reduction tool, concluding that they pose a significant, documented threat to cardiovascular and metabolic health. Consequently, clinical and public health prevention strategies must strongly advocate for the total cessation of all forms of nicotine delivery to protect long-term cardiovascular well-being.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Weronika Nawrocka, Zuzanna Taciak, Katarzyna Pinkowska, Anna-Maria Grzeczka, Zuzanna Korbel, Patrycja Pietraszkiewicz, Paula Żak, Inez Michalska, Agnieszka Dąbrowska, Glista Filip, Mikołaj Jaszowski
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