Heated Tobacco Sticks Impair Blood Vessel Function
A single exposure to two heated tobacco product sticks altered vascular function and oxidative DNA damage in healthy smokers, researchers report.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Heart Disease
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A study published online October 27 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that healthy adult smokers who used two consecutive heated tobacco product sticks showed significant reductions in brachial artery flow-mediated dilation. The researchers also observed increased systolic blood pressure, increased methemoglobin, and significant oxidative DNA damage in peripheral blood cells.
Why it matters
Impaired endothelial function is an early marker of cardiovascular risk, so measurable changes after a single exposure raise questions about the short-term vascular effects of heated tobacco products. The findings add to the evidence base that policymakers and clinicians use when assessing these products relative to conventional cigarettes.
The study is a supervised exposure experiment in which each participant used two consecutive heated tobacco product sticks, and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation fell significantly afterward. Whether these short-term changes translate into lasting cardiovascular harm has not been established by the reported findings.
The players
European Journal of Preventive Cardiology
A peer-reviewed clinical journal published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology, which publishes research on cardiovascular disease prevention.
Mainz University Medical Center
A major academic hospital and research center in Mainz, Germany, affiliated with Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, where the study's researchers are based.
The details
Researchers supervised healthy adult smokers as they used two consecutive heated tobacco product sticks and measured endothelial function, blood pressure, venous blood gases, metabolic markers, and oxidative DNA damage. Systolic blood pressure rose, venous oxygen levels fell while carbon dioxide rose, methemoglobin increased, and short-term use induced significant oxidative DNA damage in peripheral blood cells.
Timeline
October 27, 2026: Study published online in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
November 4, 2026: HealthDay published an article reporting the study findings.
Health Landscape
Heated tobacco products are often marketed as lower-risk alternatives to conventional cigarettes, and this study adds acute vascular measurements to the research used to evaluate that claim. Endothelial dysfunction is a recognized early step in atherosclerosis, which places these findings within the broader literature on tobacco-related heart disease risk.
Smokers considering heated tobacco products as a switch from cigarettes should be aware that a single session in this study produced measurable changes in blood vessel function and blood pressure. Anyone concerned about heart health should discuss tobacco use and cardiovascular risk with a clinician rather than relying on the product being labeled as reduced-risk.
The takeaway
A single short session with heated tobacco products produced measurable vascular and oxidative changes in healthy smokers, a finding that reinforces the need for longer-term research before these products are considered safe. Readers who smoke should weigh these early signals alongside the broader evidence on quitting.
Further reading
Explore more research on Heart Disease and how smoking-related exposures affect the cardiovascular system.
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