Dr. Merlyn Griffiths (Bryan School), along with an international team of researchers, formed a research group to advance knowledge of the proliferation and effects of water pipe “hookah” smoking across the globe.
On May 7, 2019, the team published “Water pipe (hookah) smoking and cardiovascular disease risk: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association” in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal.
The team found evidence indicating that water pipe tobacco smoking affects heart rate, blood pressure regulation, baroreflex sensitivity, tissue oxygenation, and vascular function over the short term. Harmful substances present in cigarette smoke are also present in water pipe smoke, often at levels exceeding those found in cigarette smoke. Long-term water pipe use is associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease.
Griffiths is Associate Professor of Marketing in the Bryan School of Business and Economics.
