Aim
This comment is based on a critical review of a study on blood pressure and heart rate in shisha (narghile, hookah) smokers
in Jordan.
Subjects and methods
The study was analysed against the most recent literature on this issue, in general, and against peer-reviewed biomedical
publications from the Middle East, in particular.
Results
Several errors and misquotations were found in the study under scrutiny. Most of them stem from misrepresentations related
to the chemistry of shisha smoke, the anthropology and geography of its use, and the relevance of the literature cited by
the authors (vs. the non-cited one), both from a quality and quantity viewpoint.
Conclusion
A clarification is made about all these points of utmost importance and will hopefully help a new generation of researchers
avoid wading too far in this field. Against the background of a world epidemic, public health interventions will gain credibility
and performance.
Keywords Smoking - Shisha - Narghile - Tobacco - Heart rate - Blood pressure