Individuals were randomized to a 2nd evaluation after either an eight-hour shift using a mask or 8 hours off without a mask. They then crossed over to a third assessment after either eight hours off with no mask or 8 hours working with a mask.
In traditional cigarette smokers, exhaled carbon monoxide increased from 8.00 parts per million (ppm) at baseline to 12.15 ppm with no mask and 17.45 ppm with a mask. In non-combustible cigarette smokers, exhaled carbon monoxide increased from 1.15 ppm at standard to 1.43 ppm with no mask and 2.20 ppm with a mask. Teacher Ikonomidis stated: “Compared to cigarette smokers of flammable cigarettes, non-combustible cigarette users had lower standard carbon monoxide levels and smaller sized boosts in vascular damage while using a mask.
According to a new research study, mask wearing enhances the damages of smoking.
Smoking cigarettes while using a surgical mask doubles exhaled carbon monoxide and impaired blood vessel function.
Smoking cigarettes either conventional or non-combustible cigarettes while wearing a surgical mask leads to a doubling in exhaled carbon monoxide and impaired capillary function compared to non-mask periods. Thats the finding of research study published today (July 7, 2022) in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Author Professor Ignatios Ikonomidis of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece stated: “The research study suggests that smoking any tobacco item has actually become a lot more harmful throughout the COVID-19 pandemic because of the requirement to wear a mask for long hours. Prior research study has shown that impaired vascular function is related to heart issues and sudden death.”
This research focused on standard (combustible) cigarettes and non-combustible cigarettes, likewise called “heat not burn” or “heated” tobacco items. Non-combustible cigarettes consist of tobacco that is electronically heated up to a lower temperature level than a combusted cigarette, providing an inhalable aerosol including nicotine. Smokeless cigarettes (likewise called e-cigarettes or vaping), which electronically heat up a liquid containing nicotine to create an aerosol that is inhaled, were not consisted of in the research study.
The scientists took a look at the levels of breathed out carbon monoxide in smokers while using a mask throughout working hours and compared it to carbon monoxide gas levels during day of rests without a mask. In a second step, the scientists examined whether the change in carbon monoxide direct exposure was accompanied by impaired blood vessel function.
40 cigarette smokers of conventional cigarettes, 40 unique heat not burn cigarette users and 40 non-smokers with comparable age and sex who were medical workers in a university hospital were included in the research study. Individuals with recognized heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, dyslipidemia, or atrial fibrillation were excluded as these conditions might impact vascular function.
Individuals were randomized to a second evaluation after either an eight-hour shift using a mask or 8 hours off without a mask. They then crossed over to a third evaluation after either eight hours off with no mask or eight hours working with a mask.
In conventional cigarette smokers, breathed out carbon monoxide increased from 8.00 parts per million (ppm) at baseline to 12.15 ppm with no mask and 17.45 ppm with a mask. In non-combustible cigarette smokers, exhaled carbon monoxide increased from 1.15 ppm at standard to 1.43 ppm with no mask and 2.20 ppm with a mask.
In both non-combustible and combustible cigarette smokers, all vascular markers were higher while using a mask compared to no mask. In non-smokers, there were no differences in vascular markers between the 3 durations.
Professor Ikonomidis said: “Compared to cigarette smokers of combustible cigarettes, non-combustible cigarette users had lower standard carbon monoxide gas levels and smaller sized boosts in vascular damage while using a mask. Nonetheless, the findings reveal that smoking any tobacco product while wearing a mask might further hinder blood vessel function compared to non-mask durations, a minimum of partially due to higher re-inhalation of carbon monoxide gas and/or vapor abundant in nicotine. The outcomes supply even more impetus for all smokers to quit.”
Recommendation: “The result of smoking cigarettes on exhaled carbon monoxide and arterial flexibility during extended surgical mask use in the COVID-19 period” by Ikonomidis I, Katogiannis K, Kourea K, et al., 7 July 2022, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.DOI: 10.1093/ eurjpc/zwac101.
