Smoking cigarette while using e-cigarettes (vaping) results in harmful health effects similar to smoking cigarettes alone, according to a new study.
The conclusion was based on findings in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study.
Among 24,000 men and women, smoking cigarettes and vaping didn’t reduce the risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke or any cardiovascular disease.
“Our results suggest that combining smoking with e-cigarette use does not reduce cardiovascular events and that quitting both products is required to ensure a mitigation of risk,” said lead researcher Jonathan Berlowitz, a medical student at Boston University.
“The cardiovascular risk of dual use did not differ from the risk among those exclusively smoking cigarettes,” he added.
It’s been acknowledged that e-cigarettes are safer than regular cigarettes and those who only vaped did report fewer cardiovascular problems, but there were too few reported problems to conclude that e-cigarettes are safer, the researchers noted.
“Many adults use e-cigarettes to help them reduce their cigarette use, which they hope would be a health benefit,” he said. “Others may use e-cigarettes to consume nicotine in locations where cigarettes are prohibited. There is also evidence that e-cigarettes can play a gateway effect in youth leading to the later initiation of cigarettes as well. Complete cigarette cessation remains vital to reducing cardiovascular risk, regardless of e-cigarette use.”
Participants took part in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study from 2013 to 2019.
The researchers found more than 1,480 cases of cardiovascular disease and more than 500 cases of heart attack, heart failure or stroke.
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