The American College of Cardiology has some bad news for e-cigarette users after a new study found that those who vape are 19% more likely to develop heart failure compared to their non-vaping counterparts.
Researchers used data from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study, including surveys and electronic health records, to assess potential correlations between heart failure diagnoses and e-cigarette use in over 175,000 patients.
The results found that over 3,200 participants developed heart failure within a median follow-up time of 45 months, according to the report.
“Let’s be honest here. It’s great news because sometimes we need to point to these studies to really hone this in on people,” said Dr. Nicole Saphier, speaking to “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday.
“On one hand, it [vaping] is a little bit better [than traditional cigarettes]. However, let’s think about what vaping is. It still has the nicotine. We know nicotine has direct effects on our blood vessels. When you decrease the elasticity of your blood vessels, that puts more stress on your heart. So it’s not surprising that if you are still consuming nicotine, it will affect your heart. But on top of that, you’re also vaping new chemicals. You’re creating chemicals that are now going into your lung,” Dr. Saphier explained.
Originally thought to be a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, Dr. Saphier said e-cigarettes are also linked to a phenomenon called “popcorn lung,” a disease resulting from damage to air sacs in the lungs.
“I certainly don’t recommend it for everyone. Maybe it’s a good stepping stone to get off traditional cigarettes, but for long-term, absolutely not. It is detrimental,” she continued.
BE WELL: QUIT SMOKING (OR ENCOURAGE SOMEONE ELSE TO KICK THE HABIT)
Marketing campaigns for vaping have appealed to younger audiences in recent years, touting flavors like cotton candy, marshmallow and bubble gum to entice potential buyers, similar to decades-long advertisements.
Over the years, though, advertisements for traditional cigarettes have dwindled as experts have increasingly sounded the alarm over their potential side effects.
Dr. Saphier says the advertising industry should follow suit on e-cigarettes.
“A lot of marketing efforts campaigned for it… It’s like they want our youth to be damaged,” she said. “We’re really trying to restrict some of the advertising. I mean, at the end of the day, people have to know the truth about the dangers of vaping.”
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