Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, have grown in popularity in the past few decades as an alternative to tobacco cigarettes. Although research is just now emerging about the health effects of e-cigarettes, vaping does carry risks of problems for your heart, in addition to your lungs and other parts of your body. “E-cigarettes aren’t as bad for you as regular cigarettes, but they’re not harmless,” says Holly Middlekauff, MD , a cardiologist at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles. Vaping can increase your heart rate, cause high blood pressure, damage blood vessels, and double your risk of having a heart attack, in addition to complicating existing health issues.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b242dc8e-ac99-4ec5-a6fb-ddb23f87d710
Heart Problems Vaping and Heart Problems Like other cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vape pens contain nicotine, which users inhale as a vapor. Nicotine is highly addictive and can cause short- and long-term issues with how your heart operates.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bafd4462-7773-4604-87bf-bf2074673b23 Heart Rate When you vape, the nicotine jolt will increase your adrenaline levels, causing your blood vessels to constrict and your heart to beat faster.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629eb4a9b37-e573-474a-8878-134cfc84937e “You may feel heart palpitations,” Dr. Middlekauff says. People who vape for the first time may experience a heart rate increase of as much as 4 beats per minute.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292a84a8a4-5121-408d-92cc-b37439d53537 That might not sound like much. But if it’s sustained over time, it could lead to an abnormal heart rate, which can increase your risk of a heart attack and sudden death, regardless of whether you have heart disease. Vaping also makes it harder for your heart rate to correct itself after exercise or other strenuous activities.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c908041c-3ade-412f-8b76-1e0b48b7d0b0 Blood Pressure Just as the nicotine from vaping increases your heart rate, it also increases your blood pressure. This is also part of the body’s fight-or-flight response to nicotine entering your bloodstream. Vaping can increase your systolic blood pressure by 4 percent and your diastolic blood pressure by 7 percent.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629082b7a51-4529-4f87-9dc3-e74ba6b898c6 Heart Damage Vaping causes your heart to demand more oxygen to work properly.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629549f8f91-48cf-4e82-acdd-ffce50d0de39 It is also linked to increases in oxidative stress, in which harmful, free-radical oxygen molecules outnumber antioxidants.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629733f4e9e-0fe5-4e8e-a4c7-dc7332f42762 “Oxidative stress increases your risk of many diseases, including heart disease, premature aging, and cancer,” Middlekauff says. It can also lay the groundwork for atherosclerosis , the buildup of dangerous, artery-clogging plaque. Smoking is a risk factor for this condition, and the aerosol in e-cigarettes contains potentially harmful chemicals such as acrolein, acetaldehyde, and formaldehyde that are linked to atherosclerosis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299466cda7-0152-4a16-8435-324611757012 “The levels of these chemicals are much lower compared to tobacco cigarettes,” Middlekauff says. “But if a large population starts using electronic cigarettes, a significant number of people will develop health issues, and we’ll have another public health problem.” Early research also shows that long-term e-cigarette use can increase your risk of heart failure by 19 percent.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762934c73da1-5e03-4c92-9083-f4a02365d274 Pre-Existing Heart Conditions If you already have an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, or heart disease, vaping can complicate these heart problems. “People with coronary artery blockages and people with congestive heart failure could be made worse by exposure to nicotine,” says Elliott Antman, MD , a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “They might develop chest pain or increased symptoms of heart failure .” If you have an arrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation , the nicotine in e-cigarettes could increase your risk of having an episode, Dr. Antman says.
General Health Risks General Health Risks Although e-cigarettes lack the dangerous smoke, tar, and carbon monoxide of traditional tobacco cigarettes, they can be addictive and pose additional health risks, Middlekauff says. Over time, vaping can lead to health problems that include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294e41c7ce-a77b-46a0-8800-0af9e2c8fbc2 Asthma Changes to brain development Increased cancer risk Vaping can also cause what’s known as an e-cigarette or vaping product use – associated lung injury (EVALI), which can include: Acute respiratory distress syndrome Bronchiolitis obliterans, or popcorn lung Hypersensitivity pneumonitis An EVALI can be fatal, and more than half of people with an EVALI require a visit to intensive care. Talk to your doctor or call for immediate medical help if you vape and have symptoms that include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f8ea543b-050e-4f75-aefd-7afb292b429e Chest pain Coughing Diarrhea Dizziness Fever Headaches Rapid heart rate Shortness of breath Vomiting and nausea Vaping may also cause brain-development issues in teenagers and young people , about 6 percent of whom use e-cigarettes.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cb1f37ad-f07f-4a92-92b4-12609ec2cdbb Teens who vape also may experience mood disorders, anxiety, and other health conditions.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293ef8c6c6-04d8-4ea3-9198-ca1bb1f2a411
How to Quit How to Quit Vaping Quitting vaping can be just as hard as quitting smoking. If you or a loved one is vaping, talk to your doctor about ways to address it. There are also numerous resources available to increase education about e-cigarette risks and strategies for quitting. The American Heart Association offers a five-step process for quitting vaping and smoking. The American Lung Association has a conversation guide for talking about vaping’s risks and how to quit. The National Institutes of Health’s Smokefree.gov is designed to provide ideas for developing a vaping-cessation plan.
The Takeaway Although e-cigarettes may be viewed as a safer alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes, they pose a number of risks to your heart health as well as your general health. Vaping can cause increases in your heart rate and blood pressure and lead to severe cardiovascular damage, in addition to making existing heart conditions even worse. If you vape, you also increase your risk of potentially serious and fatal lung issues. Talk to your doctor about ways to help you or a loved one quit vaping and consider numerous online resources available to learn about vaping’s risks and to develop a plan to quit.
Resources We Trust Cleveland Clinic: Vaping (E-Cigarettes)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Health Effects of VapingMayo Clinic Press: Is Vaping Safe for Teens?National Institutes of Health: Smokefree.govUniversity of Michigan Medicine: Why Vaping Is Bad for Your Heart
Additional reporting by Tony Stasiek .
Heart Problems Vaping and Heart Problems Like other cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vape pens contain nicotine, which users inhale as a vapor. Nicotine is highly addictive and can cause short- and long-term issues with how your heart operates.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bafd4462-7773-4604-87bf-bf2074673b23 Heart Rate When you vape, the nicotine jolt will increase your adrenaline levels, causing your blood vessels to constrict and your heart to beat faster.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629eb4a9b37-e573-474a-8878-134cfc84937e “You may feel heart palpitations,” Dr. Middlekauff says. People who vape for the first time may experience a heart rate increase of as much as 4 beats per minute.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292a84a8a4-5121-408d-92cc-b37439d53537 That might not sound like much. But if it’s sustained over time, it could lead to an abnormal heart rate, which can increase your risk of a heart attack and sudden death, regardless of whether you have heart disease. Vaping also makes it harder for your heart rate to correct itself after exercise or other strenuous activities.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c908041c-3ade-412f-8b76-1e0b48b7d0b0 Blood Pressure Just as the nicotine from vaping increases your heart rate, it also increases your blood pressure. This is also part of the body’s fight-or-flight response to nicotine entering your bloodstream. Vaping can increase your systolic blood pressure by 4 percent and your diastolic blood pressure by 7 percent.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629082b7a51-4529-4f87-9dc3-e74ba6b898c6 Heart Damage Vaping causes your heart to demand more oxygen to work properly.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629549f8f91-48cf-4e82-acdd-ffce50d0de39 It is also linked to increases in oxidative stress, in which harmful, free-radical oxygen molecules outnumber antioxidants.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629733f4e9e-0fe5-4e8e-a4c7-dc7332f42762 “Oxidative stress increases your risk of many diseases, including heart disease, premature aging, and cancer,” Middlekauff says. It can also lay the groundwork for atherosclerosis , the buildup of dangerous, artery-clogging plaque. Smoking is a risk factor for this condition, and the aerosol in e-cigarettes contains potentially harmful chemicals such as acrolein, acetaldehyde, and formaldehyde that are linked to atherosclerosis.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976299466cda7-0152-4a16-8435-324611757012 “The levels of these chemicals are much lower compared to tobacco cigarettes,” Middlekauff says. “But if a large population starts using electronic cigarettes, a significant number of people will develop health issues, and we’ll have another public health problem.” Early research also shows that long-term e-cigarette use can increase your risk of heart failure by 19 percent.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762934c73da1-5e03-4c92-9083-f4a02365d274 Pre-Existing Heart Conditions If you already have an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, or heart disease, vaping can complicate these heart problems. “People with coronary artery blockages and people with congestive heart failure could be made worse by exposure to nicotine,” says Elliott Antman, MD , a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “They might develop chest pain or increased symptoms of heart failure .” If you have an arrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation , the nicotine in e-cigarettes could increase your risk of having an episode, Dr. Antman says.
General Health Risks General Health Risks Although e-cigarettes lack the dangerous smoke, tar, and carbon monoxide of traditional tobacco cigarettes, they can be addictive and pose additional health risks, Middlekauff says. Over time, vaping can lead to health problems that include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976294e41c7ce-a77b-46a0-8800-0af9e2c8fbc2 Asthma Changes to brain development Increased cancer risk Vaping can also cause what’s known as an e-cigarette or vaping product use – associated lung injury (EVALI), which can include: Acute respiratory distress syndrome Bronchiolitis obliterans, or popcorn lung Hypersensitivity pneumonitis An EVALI can be fatal, and more than half of people with an EVALI require a visit to intensive care. Talk to your doctor or call for immediate medical help if you vape and have symptoms that include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f8ea543b-050e-4f75-aefd-7afb292b429e Chest pain Coughing Diarrhea Dizziness Fever Headaches Rapid heart rate Shortness of breath Vomiting and nausea Vaping may also cause brain-development issues in teenagers and young people , about 6 percent of whom use e-cigarettes.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629cb1f37ad-f07f-4a92-92b4-12609ec2cdbb Teens who vape also may experience mood disorders, anxiety, and other health conditions.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976293ef8c6c6-04d8-4ea3-9198-ca1bb1f2a411
How to Quit How to Quit Vaping Quitting vaping can be just as hard as quitting smoking. If you or a loved one is vaping, talk to your doctor about ways to address it. There are also numerous resources available to increase education about e-cigarette risks and strategies for quitting. The American Heart Association offers a five-step process for quitting vaping and smoking. The American Lung Association has a conversation guide for talking about vaping’s risks and how to quit. The National Institutes of Health’s Smokefree.gov is designed to provide ideas for developing a vaping-cessation plan.
The Takeaway Although e-cigarettes may be viewed as a safer alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes, they pose a number of risks to your heart health as well as your general health. Vaping can cause increases in your heart rate and blood pressure and lead to severe cardiovascular damage, in addition to making existing heart conditions even worse. If you vape, you also increase your risk of potentially serious and fatal lung issues. Talk to your doctor about ways to help you or a loved one quit vaping and consider numerous online resources available to learn about vaping’s risks and to develop a plan to quit.
Resources We Trust Cleveland Clinic: Vaping (E-Cigarettes)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Health Effects of VapingMayo Clinic Press: Is Vaping Safe for Teens?National Institutes of Health: Smokefree.govUniversity of Michigan Medicine: Why Vaping Is Bad for Your Heart
Additional reporting by Tony Stasiek .