Incidence study of cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders caused by electronic cigarettes: a scope review

Abstract

Introduction: The use of electronic cigarettes (EC) has increased, but without an in-depth study on their effects on cardiovascular and pulmonary health. A guiding question was formulated: Do electronic cigarettes cause cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders? This scoping review points out the existence of cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders caused by the use of electronic cigarettes. Methodology: Databases: MEDLINE-Pubmed, LILACS and Web of Science. Descriptors: "Electronic Nicotine Delivery System”, “E-Cigarette Vapor”, “COPD”, “Lung Neoplasms”, "Myocardial Infarction” and “Pneumonia”. First search: 28 articles. Exclusion Criteria: articles that do not fit into the classification of primary studies and duplicated studies. Final search: 6 articles, described in full. Results: Of the articles found: 83.3% (USA); 16.7% (South Korea); 16.7% cross-sectional study; 16.7% longitudinal study; 33.3% randomized clinical trial with people; 33.3% cohort studies. Discussion: The articles showed that the EC may be associated with cardiovascular disorders, such as infarction and stroke, although it is not as influential when compared to traditional cigarettes. As for pulmonary disorders, there was no consensus among the data from the researched articles. Conclusion: More research on the topic is necessary, due to the divergence between the presented data in the literature.