Vaping raises risk of heart disease: study

By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

Vaping raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to new research.

E-cigarettes deliver multiple chemicals into the body that are "potentially harmful" to organs, say scientists.

Around 3.5 million Britons are regular users including almost one in ten secondary school pupils - double the number ten years ago.

In some areas, almost a third of under-18s have used battery-operated devices.

An updated statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) says the true cost to public health may not be known "for decades."

Current evidence identifies the dangers and long-term studies are needed among people of all ages - and those who already have heart disease.

Writing committee chair Professor Jason Rose, of Maryland University, said: "E-cigarettes deliver numerous substances into the body that are potentially harmful, including chemicals and other compounds that are likely not known to or understood by the user.

"There is research indicating that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are associated with acute changes in several hemodynamic measures, including increases in blood pressure and heart rate.

"There has also been research indicating that even when nicotine is not present, ingredients in e-cigarettes, particularly flavoring agents, independently carry risks associated with heart and lung diseases in animals.

"Negative effects of e-cigarettes have been shown through in vitro studies and in studies of individuals exposed to chemicals in commercially available products."

They were originally marketed as a 'safer' alternative to smoking combustible tobacco.

But Evali (E-cigarette or vaping product use–associated lung injury) has since been recognized as a severe pulmonary condition.

It was first recognized by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2019 when around 2,800 hospitalizations occurred among vapers - in less than a year.

The AHA cites it as an example of the lack of knowledge surrounding the risks of e-cigarettes and their ingredients.

Vitamin E acetate has been implicated as likely causing illness. It's used as a thickening agent in some liquids.

The devices heat a solution to create an aerosol that is inhaled into the lungs. Most formulations deliver nicotine - the addictive ingredient in conventional cigarettes.

They may also contain other substances - most commonly THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which gets cannabis users high - as well as methamphetamine, methadone or vitamins.

There are also humectants that act as solvents and create a vapor, flavorings that appeal to kids, cooling agents such as menthol and sweeteners - in addition to metals from the heating coil and other chemicals.

Rose said: "Young people often become attracted to the flavors available in these products and can develop nicotine dependence from e-cigarette use.

"There is significant concern about young people assuming e-cigarettes are not harmful because they are widely available and marketed to an age group that includes many people who have never used any tobacco products.

"The long-term risks of using e-cigarettes are unknown, but if the risks of chronic use are like combustible cigarettes, or even if the risks are reduced but still present, we may not observe them for decades.

"What is equally concerning is that studies show that some youth who use e-cigarettes go on to use other tobacco products, and there is also a correlation between e-cigarette use and substance use disorders."

Studies gauging the specific impact e-cigarettes have on heart attacks and strokes are limited. Much previous research has been conducted in people who have also smoked.

One recent analysis linked e-cigs to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma - within the next two years.

E-cigs have also been said to help people quit smoking - despite "limited research".

The claim also needs to be clearly balanced alongside the products' known and unknown potential health risks - including long-term dependence.

Rose Marie Robertson, the AHA's deputy chief science and medical officer said: "E-cigarette companies have suggested that their products are a way to quit smoking traditional cigarettes.

"There is no strong evidence to support this beyond any short-term benefit.

"The lack of long-term scientific safety data on e-cigarette use, along with the potential for the addiction to e-cigarette products seen among youth, are among the reasons the American Heart Association does not recommend e-cigarette use for cessation efforts.

"It's also important to note that e-cigarette products are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for tobacco cessation.

"The Association recommends a combination of multiple-episode cessation counseling accompanied by personalized nicotine replacement therapy with FDA-approved doses and formulations, as well as medications to help control cravings, to help people who smoke combustible cigarettes with cessation.

"And all of this needs to be undertaken with the understanding that quitting often takes many tries, and any failures should be seen as just episodes to learn from on the road to finally beating a powerful addiction for good."

The findings are in the journal Circulation.