Electronic cigarettes use may pose lower cardiovascular risks in people living with HIV compared to tobacco cigarette use, new UCLA-led research shows. The study, published in JAHA, uses a novel laboratory model to examine the early stages of atherogenesis-the buildup of fats and cholesterol in the arteries. The findings suggest that electronic cigarettes (ECs) have a lower likelihood of causing changes associated with atherogenesis, compared to tobacco cigarettes (TCs), among those living with HIV.
While smoking has dropped to all-time low levels in the U.S., this hasn’t been the case for people living with HIV, who are disproportionately affected by tobacco-related health disparities. “Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable cardiovascular death in the U.S., and people living with…