About
"Having been born and raised in Egypt, I have become increasingly aware of the entrenched character of both Egyptian and American society’s’ younger population and their struggle with smoking, especially hookah smoking. For centuries, hookah was defined as an important cultural phenomenon and a masculine habit that is endemic only to male Middle-Eastern culture. Currently, Hookah smoking is viewed to be a popular social phenomenon that is heavily marketed to both female and male young adults of all ethnic backgrounds as a safer, non-addictive tobacco alternative. Many of my young patients who regularly smoke hookah do not consider themselves “smokers”. We know the detrimental cardiovascular health effects of cigarette smoking but little is known about hookah.”
Dr. Rezk-Hanna is an assistant professor at the UCLA School of Nursing. Her program of research focuses on vascular regulation and human cardiovascular physiology in the area of tobacco-related diseases. Her current work is particularly focused on studying tobacco and alternative tobacco products, specifically the effects of traditional hookah (i.e. waterpipe) smoking and electronic hookah vaping, on vascular function and understanding the underlying mechanisms involved. Dr. Rezk-Hanna served on several American Heart Association scientific committees that published scientific statements on conventional, new and emerging tobacco products, including hookah smoking, electronic cigarettes, vaping products and oral nicotine products and cardiovascular disease risk. Her ultimate goal is to use physiologic data to drive evidence-based policy to regulate novel and alternative tobacco products and nicotine delivery systems. Dr. Rezk-Hanna is also a board certified nurse practitioner, where she completed her masters in nursing and graduated with honors from UCLA.
Education
- George Mason University, Virginia BSN, 2008
- University of California, Los Angeles MSN, FNP-C, 2011
- University of California, Los Angeles PhD, 2016
Honors and Awards
- 2024 | Fiat Lux Chancellor’s Award, UCLA
- 2024 | Fellow of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
- 2023 | Poster Award, Best Research / Innovation Poster, 19th Annual UCLA Nursing Science and Innovation Conference, UCLA Health
- 2022 | Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing
- 2020 | Hellman Fellow Award, UCLA
- 2020 | Fellow of the American Heart Association
- 2020 | Marie Cowan Promising Early Career Investigator Award, Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing, American Heart Association
- 2019 | Research Article of the Year, Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing, American Heart Association
- 2017 | Highest Rated Reviewers of the Year, European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
- 2016 | Martha Hill Young Investigator Award Finalist, Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing, American Heart Association
Publications
Himmelfarb CR, Benowitz NL, Blank MD, Bhatnagar A, Chase PJ, Davis E, Fetterman JL, Keller-Hamilton B, Ogungbe O, Page II RM, Rezk-Hanna M, Robertson RM, Whitsel LP, Impact of Smokeless Oral Nicotine Products on Cardiovascular Disease: Implications for Policy, Prevention, and Treatment. An Updated Policy Statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. Accepted.
Kassem NO, Strongin RM, Stroup AM, Brinkman MC, El-Hellani A, Erythropel HC, Etemadi A, Goniewicz ML, Hansen EG, Kassem NO, Li D, Liles S, Noël A, Rezk-Hanna M, Wang Q, Rahman I. Toxicity of Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: The Role of Flavors, Sweeteners, Humectants, and Charcoal. Toxicological Sciences. Accepted. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae095
Rezk-Hanna M, Maziak W. Unsubstantiated Claims by the Hookah Tobacco Industry to Exempt Flavored Hookah Tobacco Products from Flavor Bans. Nicotine Tob Res. 2024. ntae114. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntae114.
Martin SS, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, Anderson CAM, Arora P, Avery CL, Baker-Smith CM, Barone Gibbs B, Beaton AZ, Boehme AK, Commodore-Mensah Y, Currie ME, Elkind MSV, Evenson KR, Generoso G, Heard DG, Hiremath S, Johansen MC, Kalani R, Kazi DS, Ko D, Liu J, Magnani JW, Michos ED, Mussolino ME, Navaneethan SD, Parikh NI, Perman SM, Poudel R, Rezk-Hanna M, Roth GA, Shah NS, St-Onge M-P, Thacker EL, Tsao CW, Urbut SM, Van Spall HGC, Voeks JH, Wang N-Y, Wong ND, Wong SS, Yaffe K, Palaniappan LP; on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. 2024 Heart disease and stroke statistics: a report of US and global data from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2024. 149:e000–e000. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001209.
Rezk-Hanna M, Rossman M, Ludwig K, Sakti P, Cheng CW, Brecht ML, Benowitz N, Seals D. Electronic Hookah (Waterpipe) Vaping Reduces Vascular Endothelial Function: The Role of Nicotine. American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology. 2024. 326(3):H490-H496. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00710.2023.
Rezk-Hanna M, Adolfo A, Warda US, Brecht ML, Benowitz N. Association of Non-Daily Hookah Tobacco Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease-Related Exposure Biomarkers Among U.S. Users: The Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2023. 13(36):102417. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102417.
Rose JJ, Krishnan-Sarin S, Exil VJ, Hamburg NM, Fetterman JL, Ichinose F, Perez-Pinzon M, Rezk-Hanna M, Williamson E; on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation; the Council on Epidemiology and Prevention; the Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and Intervention; the Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health; the Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease; the Stroke Council; and the Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. Cardiopulmonary Impact of Electronic Cigarettes and Vaping Products: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2023. 148(8):703-728. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001160.
Taleb ZB, Dobroy D, Atkins J, Campbell J, Nelson MD, Kalan ME, Rezk-Hanna M, Wang J, Brothers M. Pod-based E-Cigarette vs. Combustible Cigarettes: The Impact on Peripheral and Cerebral Vascular Function and Subjective Experiences. Tobacco Induced Diseases. 2023. 21:71. doi: 10.18332/tid/162366.
Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, Anderson CAM, Arora P, Avery CL, Baker-Smith CM, Beaton AZ, Boehme AK, Buxton AE, Commodore Mensah Y, Elkind MSV, Evenson KR, Eze-Nliam C, Fugar S, Generoso G, Heard DG, Hiremath S, Ho JE, Kalani R, Kazi DS, Ko D, Levine DA, Liu J, Ma J, Magnani JW, Michos ED, Mussolino ME, Navaneethan SD, Parikh NI, Poudel R, Rezk-Hanna M, Roth GA, Shah NS, St-Onge M-P, Thacker EL, Virani SS, Voeks JH, Wang N-Y, Wong ND, Wong SS, Yaffe K, Martin SS; on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2023 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2023. 147(8):e93-e621. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001123.
Rezk-Hanna M, Talhout R, Jordt S. Sugars and Sweeteners in Tobacco and Nicotine Products: FDA Regulatory Implications. Nicotine Tob Res. 2022. ntac222. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntac222
Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, Alonso A, Beaton AZ, Bittencourt MS, Boehme AK, Buxton AE, Carson AP, Commodore-Mensah Y, Elkind MSV, Evenson KR, Eze-Nliam C, Ferguson JF, Generoso G, Ho JE, Kalani R, Khan SS, Kissela BM, Knutson KL, Levine DA, Lewis TT, Liu J, Loop MS, Ma J, Mussolino ME, Navaneethan SD, Perak AM, Poudel R, Rezk-Hanna M, Roth GA, Schroeder EB, Shah SH, Thacker EL, VanWagner LB, Virani SS, Voecks JH, Wang N-Y, Yaffe K, Martin SS; on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2022 update: a report from the American Heart Association. 2022. Circulation. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052.
Rezk-Hanna M, Warda US, Stokes AC, Fetterman J, Li J, Macey PM, Darawad M, Song Y, Taleb ZB, Brecht ML, Benowitz NL. Associations of Smokeless Tobacco Use with Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Insights from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. Nicotine Tob Res. 2022. 24(7):1063-1070. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntab258.
Rezk-Hanna M, Gupta R, Nettle C, Dobrin D, Cheng CW, Means A, Brecht ML, Tashkin D, and Araujo J. Differential Effects of Electronic Hookah Vaping and Traditional Combustible Hookah Smoking on Oxidation, Inflammation and Arterial Stiffness. CHEST. 2021. S0012-3692(21)01360. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2021.07.027.
Rezk-Hanna M, Seals D, Rossman M, Gupta R, Nettle C, Means A, Cheng C, Brecht L, Mosenifar Z, Araujo J and Benowitz N. Ascorbic Acid Prevents Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction Induced by Electronic Hookah (Waterpipe) Vaping. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 10(5):e019271. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.019271.
Rezk-Hanna M, Holloway I, Toyama J, Warda U, Berteau L, Brecht M and Sarna L. Transitions in Hookah (Waterpipe) Smoking by U.S. Sexual Minority Adults between 2013-2015: The Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study Wave 1 and Wave 2. BMC Public Health. 2021 21(1):445. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10389-5.
Rezk-Hanna M, Nelson MD, Rader F, Benowitz NL, Rosenberry R, Chang C, Li N, Tashkin DP, Elashoff RM and Victor RG. Peripheral Blood Flow Changes to Cutaneous and Muscular Beds in Response to Acute Hookah Smoking. Am J Cardiol. 2020 125(11):1725-1731. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2020.02.042.
Darawad M, Rezk-Hanna M, Alhussami M, Lee J, Mostafa A, Abu-Rmeileh N, Kheirallah K, Salama M, Nakkash R, Saleh Z and Salloum R. Poly-Tobacco Use among Young Adult Waterpipe Smokers: Insights from University Students in Three Eastern Mediterranean Countries. Subst Use Misuse. 2020 55(13):2099-2108. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2020.1790010.
Rezk-Hanna M, Toyama J, Ikharo E, Brecht ML and Benowitz NL. E-Hookah Verses E-Cigarettes: Findings from Wave 2 of the PATH Study (2014-2015). Am J Prev Med 2019 57(5): e163-e173. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2019.05.007.
Petersen AB, Sarna L, Rezk-Hanna M, Wells M, Nohavova I and Bialous S. "Everyone Needs a Breath of Fresh Air": Workplace Impact on Nurses' Smoking Behaviors. Can Nurs. 2019 Feb 27. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000696.
Bhatnagar A, Maziak W, Eissenberg T, Ward KD, Thurston G, King BA, Sutfin EL, Cobb CO, Griffiths M, Goldstein LB and Rezk-Hanna M. Water Pipe (Hookah) Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation, 2019 139(19):e917-e936. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000671.
Rezk-Hanna M, Mosenifar Z, Benowitz NL, Rader F, Rashid M, Davoren K, Moy NB, Doering L, Robbins W, Sarna L, Li N, Chang LC, Elashoff RM and Victor RG. High Carbon Monoxide Levels from Charcoal Combustion Mask Acute Endothelial Dysfunction Induced by Hookah (Waterpipe) Smoking in Young Adults. Circulation. 2019 139(19): 2215-2224. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.037375.
Rezk-Hanna M, Doering L, Robbins W, Sarna L, Elashoff RM and Victor RG. Acute Effect of Hookah Smoking on Arterial Stiffness and Wave Reflections in Adults Aged 18 to 34 Years of Age. Am J Cardiol. 2018 Jun 5. pii: S0002-9149 (18)31206-2. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2018.05.033.
Rezk-Hanna M, Sarna L, Petersen AB, Wells M, Nohavova I and Bialous S. Attitudes, barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation among Central and Eastern European nurses: A focus group study. Eur JOncol Nurs. 2018;35:39-46. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2018.04.001.
Rezk-Hanna M and Benowitz NL. Cardiovascular Effects of Hookah Smoking: Potential Implications for Cardiovascular Risk. Nicotine Tob Res. 2018 21(9):1151-1161. doi: 10.1093/ntr/nty065.
Nelson MD, Rezk-Hanna M, Rader F, Mason OR, Tang X, Shidban S, Rosenberry R, Benowitz NL, Tashkin DP, Elashoff RM, Lindner JR and Victor RG. Acute Effect of Hookah Smoking on the Human Coronary Microcirculation. Am J Cardiol. 2016;117:1747-54. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2016.03.007.
Rezk-Hanna M, Macabasco-O'Connell A and Woo M. Hookah smoking among young adults in southern California. Nurs Res. 2014;63:300-6. doi: 10.1097/nnr.0000000000000038.