New research shows e-cigarettes cause cardiac arrhythmias NatureComms
Alex Carll, assistant professor in the UofL Department of Physiology, front, with Matthew Nystoriak, associate professor of medicine. Credit: University of Louisville
"Our findings demonstrate that short-term exposure to e-cigarettes can destabilize heart rhythm through specific chemicals within e-liquids," said Alex Carll, assistant professor in the UofL Department of Physiology who led the study."These findings suggest thatinvolving certain flavors or solvent vehicles may disrupt the heart's electrical conduction and provoke arrhythmias.
Conducted in collaboration with Daniel Conklin and Aruni Bhatnagar, professors in the UofL Division of Environmental Medicine, this work adds to a growing body of research on the potential toxicity and health impacts of e-cigarettes reported by the American Heart Association Tobacco Regulation and Addiction Center, for which UofL serves as the flagship institute.