Researchers of a new study discovered smoking tobacco from a hookah, also called waterpipe smoking, could cause your blood to clot at a rapid pace. When the blood starts to function abnormally, it could increase your risk of heart attack or stroke.
According to the findings, smoking tobacco from a hookah can form blood clots to form in about 11 seconds. It usually takes around five minutes. Researchers also discovered smoking in this way can cause other issues linked to blood flow.
"Hookah smoking, which is becoming more popular in Western countries, is perceived as less harmful than cigarettes, yet hookahs carry a toxic profile that is thought to be comparable or to even exceed that of traditional cigarettes," Fadi Khasawneh, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of pharmaceutical sciences at The University of Texas at El Paso, told a news portal. Adding, "Some studies have found that the smoke emitted from one hookah tobacco smoking episode contains significantly more harmful chemicals compared to a single cigarette."
For the study, mice were exposed to hookah smoke via a smoking machine, which included flavoured tobacco like tobacco, glycerin,and molasses. They also included natural flavours with nicotine and tar for the purpose of the investigation.
"Our findings provide new evidence that hookah smoking is as unhealthy -- if not more so -- than traditional cigarettes," Khasawneh told a news portal. Adding, "Smoking a hookah, cigarettes, e-cigarettes or other forms of tobacco all increase your risk for heart disease and stroke."
In 2019, the American Heart Association published a Scientific Statement warning about the impact hookah smoking could have on your health. "This study provides additional evidence that, contrary to popular belief, hookah smoking adversely affects cardiovascular health. From 2011 to 2015, the number of United States-based waterpipe establishments is estimated to have more than doubled, and interest has grown among both teens and adults," Aruni Bhatnagar, chair of the Scientific Statement, told a news portal.
Adding, "Although the tobacco industry has found novel ways to popularize and increase the use of new products, studies like this highlight the high risk of hookah smoking."
The study's findings were originally published in the American Heart Association's journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (ATVB).
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