A comprehensive study from South Korea, published in the scientific journal European Heart Journal, shows that smokers who have experienced heart problems and then switched to e-cigarettes have a significantly lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
The study is described as a "milestone" by doctor and e-cigarette researcher Konstantinos Farsalinos.
The South Korean study focused on how switching from traditional smoking to e-cigarettes affects the risk of heart disease. Nearly 18,000 patients who had undergone a so-called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) - a catheter-based balloon dilation and stenting of the coronary arteries - was followed for three years. The results show that switching to e-cigarettes was an effective way to reduce the risk of tobacco-related heart problems.
Full switching is crucial
The researchers divided the patients into groups depending on their smoking and e-cigarette habits after surgery: those who continued to smoke cigarettes, those who switched completely to e-cigarettes, and those who quit completely without using e-cigarettes.
The results showed that those who switched to e-cigarettes completely had an 18 per cent lower risk of serious cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke, compared to those who continued to smoke cigarettes. However, the researchers emphasise that the positive effect was only observed in those who used e-cigarettes exclusively - a combination of both cigarettes and e-cigarettes provided no measurable health benefits.
Alternative solutions can benefit public health
Cardiologist and senior researcher at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Centre in Athens, Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos, has commented on the study, calling it a milestone. He emphasises the importance of providing smokers with evidence-based alternatives.
“Denne undersøgelse viser, at et skifte til e-cigaretter kan reducere risikoen for rygerelaterede hjertesygdomme, især for patienter, der allerede har oplevet alvorlige hjerteproblemer,” writes Dr Farsalinos on his blog.
“Mange hjertepatienter har svært ved helt at stoppe med at ryge. At tilbyde dem alternative løsninger, såsom e-cigaretter, kan give væsentlige sundhedsfordele,” he continues.
Less harmful - but not risk-free
Dr Farsalinos points out that the study highlights how difficult it can be for many smokers to quit. The fact that half of the patients in the study continued to smoke even after serious heart problems and surgery speaks volumes about the power of nicotine addiction.
Although e-cigarettes appear to reduce certain risks compared to cigarettes, they are not without health risks. The researchers behind the study therefore emphasise the need for further research into the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes - especially for patients with heart problems.
