Electronic cigarette (e-cigarettes) vaping may pose just as much or even higher risk as smoking tobacco for worsening a stroke, according to a preliminary study in mice presented at the American Heart Association’s International Stroke Conference 2017.
https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-02/aha-emp021517.php
Researchers found:
Mice exposed to e-cigarette vapor for 10 days or 30 days had worse stroke outcome and neurological deficits, than those exposed to tobacco smoke.
E-cigarette exposure decreased glucose uptake in the brain. Glucose fuels brain activity.
Both e-Cig and tobacco smoke exposure for 30 days decreased Thrombomodulin (anti-coagulant) levels.
From a brain health perspective, researchers said, electronic-cigarette vaping is not safer than tobacco smoking, and may pose a similar, if not higher risk for stroke severity.
Use of e-cigarettes is a growing health concern in both smoking and nonsmoking populations. Researchers said rigorous studies are needed to investigate the effects of the nicotine exposure via e-cigarettes on brain and stroke outcome.
Ali Ehsan Sifat, Graduate Student/Research Assistant, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, Texas.