Work

Cardiac Autonomic Dysfunction and Increased Oxidative Stress in Conventional Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes: Heart Rate Variability as a Cardiovascular Predictor

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Conventional and electronic cigarette (e-cig) users face an increased risk of cardiorespiratory diseases, driven by well-characterized pathways involving inflammation and oxidative stress (OS). Conventional cigarettes contain numerous harmful chemicals, such as nicotine and non-nicotine compounds, which produce reactive oxygen species. Although initially considered a safer alternative, the e-cig still generates toxic aldehydes that are capable of triggering oxidative responses. Heart rate variability (HRV) is an important tool for assessing autonomic function and predicting prognosis. Cardiac autonomic dysfunction, indicated by reduced HRV, has emerged as a critical cardiovascular risk factor associated with several diseases. Clinical and experimental studies show that increased OS is directly associated with heightened sympathetic activity and inversely with parasympathetic modulation. This review demonstrates that exposure to conventional cigarettes smoking and e-cigs adversely affects cardiac autonomic function, detectable by a global reduction in HRV that reflects a shift toward sympathetic dominance and a consequent increase in cardiovascular risk. These changes are associated with increased OS due to nicotine and non-nicotine compounds maintaining sympathovagal imbalance in smokers. Thus, we suggest that autonomic dysfunction, detected by HRV, correlates with oxidative responses and may be used as a modifiable risk factor in longitudinal studies involving both smoking modalities.

Source: Antioxidants

DOI: 10.3390/antiox14121516

Authors: Fernando Sabath de Oliveira Bernardes, Eloisa Maria Gatti Regueiro, Reinaldo Bulgarelli Bestetti, Samuel de Sousa Pereira Araujo, João Paulo Jacob Sabino, Marina de Toledo Durand

Institutions: Universidade de Ribeirão Preto, Centro Universitário Barão de Mauá, Universidade Federal do Piauí

Language: English

Topic: Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control

Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,499