CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
Short-term cardiovascular effects of exclusive use of heated tobacco products (IQOS)
1
Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands;
2
Department of Medical Epidemiology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
3
Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
4
Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Office of Risk Assessment and Research, Netherlands Food and Consumer, Maastricht, the Netherlands;
5
Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Tob. Prev. Cessation 2026;12(Supplement 1):A105
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND-AIM:
The heated tobacco product IQOS is marketed as a less harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes, yet the acute cardiovascular toxicity associated with single use—particularly in exclusive users—remains insufficiently characterized.
METHODS:
We conducted an independent observational study in Milan, Italy, in March-June 2024. Three groups of participants -frequency matched by age and sex- were recruited: exclusive conventional cigarette smokers (n=25), exclusive IQOS users (n=26) and never smokers (n=27). We compared the acute cardiovascular impact associated with the use of a conventional cigarette or IQOS by measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate prior (T0) and upon (T1) product consumption.
RESULTS:
From T0 to T1, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased in never smokers (–5.9 mmHg and –1.3 mmHg) and increased in cigarette smokers (+2.4 mmHg and +4.6 mmHg) and IQOS users (+0.3 mmHg and +3.1 mmHg). Heart rate increased markedly among cigarette smokers (74.6 to 87.4 bpm; +12.8 bpm) and IQOS users (75.5 to 86.7 bpm; +11.1 bpm), with both groups showing significant increases compared with baseline and with never smokers (70.5 to 74.2 bpm; –3.7 bpm; p<0.001). The magnitude of the cardiovascular changes (T1–T0) observed in IQOS users did not differ from those observed in cigarette smokers and was significantly greater than in never smokers.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study suggests that cigarette and IQOS use induce an almost analogous increase in blood pressure and heart rate in healthy exclusive cigarette smokers and exclusive IQOS users, evidencing the acute harmful effects of IQOS emissions on parameters of cardiovascular functionality. These findings highlight the need to determine the long-term cardiovascular harmfulness associated with use of heated tobacco products, as still uncharacterized.
The heated tobacco product IQOS is marketed as a less harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes, yet the acute cardiovascular toxicity associated with single use—particularly in exclusive users—remains insufficiently characterized.
METHODS:
We conducted an independent observational study in Milan, Italy, in March-June 2024. Three groups of participants -frequency matched by age and sex- were recruited: exclusive conventional cigarette smokers (n=25), exclusive IQOS users (n=26) and never smokers (n=27). We compared the acute cardiovascular impact associated with the use of a conventional cigarette or IQOS by measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate prior (T0) and upon (T1) product consumption.
RESULTS:
From T0 to T1, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased in never smokers (–5.9 mmHg and –1.3 mmHg) and increased in cigarette smokers (+2.4 mmHg and +4.6 mmHg) and IQOS users (+0.3 mmHg and +3.1 mmHg). Heart rate increased markedly among cigarette smokers (74.6 to 87.4 bpm; +12.8 bpm) and IQOS users (75.5 to 86.7 bpm; +11.1 bpm), with both groups showing significant increases compared with baseline and with never smokers (70.5 to 74.2 bpm; –3.7 bpm; p<0.001). The magnitude of the cardiovascular changes (T1–T0) observed in IQOS users did not differ from those observed in cigarette smokers and was significantly greater than in never smokers.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study suggests that cigarette and IQOS use induce an almost analogous increase in blood pressure and heart rate in healthy exclusive cigarette smokers and exclusive IQOS users, evidencing the acute harmful effects of IQOS emissions on parameters of cardiovascular functionality. These findings highlight the need to determine the long-term cardiovascular harmfulness associated with use of heated tobacco products, as still uncharacterized.
| eISSN: | 2459-3087 |
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