Acute toxicant exposure and cardiac autonomic dysfunction from smoking a single narghile waterpipe with tobacco and with a “healthy” tobacco-free alternative

摘要: Abstract Tobacco smoking using a waterpipe (narghile, hookah, shisha) has become global epidemic. Unlike cigarette smoking, little is known about the health effects of use. One acute effect smoke inhalation dysfunction in autonomic regulation cardiac cycle, as indicated by reduction heart rate variability (HRV). Reduced HRV implicated adverse cardiovascular outcomes, and associated with exposure-induced oxidative stress. Using 32 participant cross-over study design, we investigated toxicant exposure on when, under controlled conditions, participants smoked tobacco-based tobacco-free product promoted an alternative for “health-conscious” users. Outcome measures included HRV, exhaled breath carbon monoxide (CO), plasma nicotine, puff topography, which were measured at times prior to, during, after smoking. We found that use acutely decreased ( p