Two new nursing faculty members ’ work inspired by their heritage

This study was published in the journal Nursing Research.“Young adults who use hookah see it as a social activity,” Rezk-Hanna said. “Those who engage in it don’t consider themselves to be ‘smokers’ and perceive hookah as a healthier alternative to cigarettes.”Rezk-Hanna cautions that despite hookah smoke ’s fruity, benign smell, hookah contains nicotine, one of the most addictive substances known, in addition to many toxins released from the burning charcoal used to heat the flavored tobacco. While cigarette smokers take about five to seven minutes to smoke a cigarette, hookah smokers often engage in smoking for hours at a time. Thus, they can be exposed to more smoke over a longer period than cigarette smokers.To test if the cardiovascular effects of hookah smoking outweigh young adults ’ perceived risk, Rezk-Hanna collaborated with the late Dr. Ronald Victor of the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and together they built a smoking chamber at Cedars-Sinai, an enclosed compartment which made it possible to measure acute smoking exposure in a controlled environm ent.An article, co-authored by professors Lynn Doering and Wendie Robbins, UCLA Nursing Dean Linda Sarna and Victor published in the American Journal of Cardiology, showed hookah smoking causes acute arterial stiffness, similar to effects reported from other tobacco products.“These data could be used to inform young adults about the dangers of hookah smoking as well as provide ...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news