Vaping and Heart Problems
Table of Contents
Heart Rate
“You may feel heart palpitations,” Dr. Middlekauff says.
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.
Heart Damage
“Oxidative stress increases your risk of many diseases, including heart disease, premature aging, and cancer,” Middlekauff says.
“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.”
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, MDa 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 fibrillationthe nicotine in e-cigarettes could increase your risk of having an episode, Dr. Antman says.
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