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This study investigates the immediate impacts of traditional cigarettes and heated tobacco products on palatal blood flow and cardiac function in smokers.

April 19, 2026Open Access

Acute effects of traditional and heated tobacco products on palatal blood flow and cardiac function in smokers: A crossover pilot study.

Key Points

This study investigates the immediate impacts of traditional cigarettes and heated tobacco products on palatal blood flow and cardiac function in smokers.
Crossover study design with ten medically healthy smokers.
Participants smoked traditional cigarettes and two types of heated tobacco products.
Palatal blood flow measured with laser speckle contrast imaging at three time points.
Blood pressure and heart rate recorded before and after smoking.
Mean palatal blood flow significantly increased after IQOS-Menthol compared to pre-smoking measurements.
Systolic blood pressure increased significantly for traditional cigarettes immediately after use.
Diastolic blood pressure and pulse increased for all tobacco products after exposure, except during the sham test.

Abstract

Traditional cigarette (TC) smoking is linked to a multitude of diseases, including cancer and neurological, respiratory, and cardiovascular diseases. It also has negative consequences for oral health; it is associated with periodontal disease and postoperative complications by impairing oral circulation and wound healing. Alternative tobacco products, particularly heated tobacco products (HTPs), have gained popularity in recent years, although their physiological effects, including those in circulation, are less well-known. The acute effects of HTPs on palatal blood flow (PBF) and cardiac function were examined and compared with those of TC in ten medically healthy volunteers (nine males, one female) aged between 24 and 32 years (Mage 26.5 ± 2.4 years). All patients were requested to smoke TC, two types of HTPs (natur flavor, IQOS-Natur; and menthol flavor, IQOS-Menthol), and a switched-off IQOS device as a sham smoking blind test. PBF was measured in three regions of interest via a laser speckle contrast imager at three time points (before, TOI1; immediately after, TOI2; and 15 min after exposure, TOI3). Blood pressure and pulse were also measured in three times of interests. Mean PBF significantly increased in the IQOS-Menthol group in ROI1 at TOI3 compared with TOI1 (p < .01). No statistically significant differences in percent PBF changes were detected between times of interests in each group. In all three tobacco product groups, the systolic blood pressure increased immediately after product use; however, this increase was statistically significant only for TC (p < .01). There was no significant difference in blind test (p = .6). Diastolic blood pressure and pulse increased significantly in TOI2 for TC, IQOS-Menthol, and IQOS-Natur (p < .01) but not for blind test (p = .08; p = .69). HTPs and TC were associated with elevated heart rate and blood pressure after exposure. All tobacco products had minimal acute effects on PBF. Habitual use of HTPs may increase susceptibility to chronic cardiovascular diseases, but further research is necessary to clarify their effects on oral circulation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

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