Edición N°19 – Artículo 09
Salud cardiovascular en adolescentes fumadores de cigarrillos electrónicos
Cardiovascular health in adolescents using electronic cigarettes
Autora: María Claudia Molina Terreros (Unidad Educativa Santana)
Resumen
En este estudio se evaluó el impacto del consumo de cigarrillos electrónicos en variables cardiovasculares y rendimiento físico en adolescentes de 18 años. Se diseñó un experimento con 12 participantes, divididos en un grupo experimental (fumadores de cigarrillos electrónicos con al menos dos años de uso) y un grupo control (no fumadores). Se midieron variables en reposo como frecuencia cardíaca, presión arterial, saturación de oxígeno y, posteriormente, se realizaron pruebas de esfuerzo físico con una caminadora. Los resultados mostraron que, tras vapear, la frecuencia cardíaca del grupo experimental aumentó significativamente, pasando de una media de 91 a 103 latidos por minuto. En la prueba de esfuerzo, el grupo experimental obtuvo un menor tiempo de resistencia (7 minutos y 58 segundos frente a 9 minutos y 6 segundos) y un menor equivalente metabólico comparado con el grupo control (11.35 METs frente a 15.90 METs). Estos hallazgos sugieren que el vapeo afecta negativamente la capacidad física y la salud cardiovascular. El estudio concluye que el consumo de cigarrillos electrónicos puede ser perjudicial para la salud cardiovascular, evidenciando alteraciones significativas en la frecuencia cardíaca y el rendimiento físico. Se sugiere ampliar la investigación con muestras más grandes y explorar otras variables como marcadores de inflamación y estrés oxidativo.
Palabras clave: cigarrillos electrónicos, salud cardiovascular, adolescentes, frecuencia cardíaca, rendimiento físico.
Abstract
This study evaluated the impact of electronic cigarette use on cardiovascular variables and physical performance in 18-year-old adolescents. An experiment was designed with 12 participants, divided into an experimental group (electronic cigarette users with at least two years of use) and a control group (non-smokers). Resting variables, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation, were measured, followed by physical stress tests on a treadmill.
The results showed that, after vaping, the heart rate of the experimental group increased significantly, rising from an average of 91 to 103 beats per minute. In the stress test, the experimental group achieved a lower endurance time (7 minutes and 58 seconds compared to 9 minutes and 6 seconds) and a lower metabolic equivalent compared to the control group (11.35 METs versus 15.90 METs). These findings suggest that vaping negatively affects physical capacity and cardiovascular health. The study concludes that electronic cigarette consumption can be detrimental to cardiovascular health, evidencing significant alterations in heart rate and physical performance. It is suggested to expand the research with larger samples and explore other variables such as inflammatory markers and oxidative stress.
Keywords: electronic cigarettes, cardiovascular health, adolescents, heart rate, physical performance.
Edición N°19
Fecha de publicación: 28 noviembre del 2025.
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