Using electronic cigarettes is not associated with acute adverse effects on cardiac function, researchers from the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece, reported at the European Society for Cardiology 2012 Conference in Munich, Germany. Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos added that according to currently available data, electronic cigarettes are considerably less harmful than smoking tobacco, and switching from smoking tobacco to using electronic cigarettes is most likely a good health move.
According to the World Health Organization WHO), smoking will have caused over 1 billion deaths by the end of this century. It is the most preventable risk factor for lung and cardiac disease. Electronic cigarette manufacturers and sellers have been promoting the product as a safer alternative for regular smokers. Millions of people worldwide regularly use electronic cigarettes today.
An electronic cigarette mimics the sensations and actions experienced by tobacco smoking, but instead of breathing in smoke, the user inhales vapor. The device contains a cartridge filled with liquid, a heating element to evaporate the liquid, and a battery.
Previous studies have shown that electronic cigarettes contain fewer toxins than tobacco cigarettes. The majority of studies have not detected nitrosamines in electronic cigarettes. (tobacco-specific) Nitrosamines form part of an important group of carcinogens in tobacco products. The few that did detect nitrosamines in the devices reported levels 500 to 1,400 less than what most cigarettes contain. In order to breathe in the nitrosamines contained in one tobacco cigarette, an electronic cigarette user would need to use his/her device every day for 4 to 12 months.
Read more: Medical News Today
