Vaping (E-Cigarettes) Can Be Fatal: Health Experts Sound the Alarm

Health experts have warned that vaping can be more dangerous than previously thought, even more so than traditional smoking. Experts claim that vaping has immediate negative effects on the body, particularly on blood pressure, which can drop so suddenly that it may even prove fatal in extreme cases.

Researchers believe that vaping has a significant impact on blood vessels and can reduce the amount of oxygen absorbed by the lungs. The human body’s circulatory system is made up of arteries and veins that carry blood and nutrients throughout the body.

However, e-cigarettes (also known as vapes) contain significantly more chemicals and toxic substances than the smoke produced by traditional tobacco cigarettes.

Additionally, vapes come in a wide range of flavors, making them particularly appealing to young people and teenagers.

New Research Unveiled at Health Conference

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), during its conference in Chicago, presented fresh research highlighting the negative effects of vaping on health.

Dr. Marian Nabaut, the lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, said:

“E-cigarettes have long been marketed as a safer alternative to traditional tobacco smoking, but they may still harm vascular function and overall health.”

Dr. Nabaut and her colleagues aimed to study the immediate effects of vaping — with and without nicotine — on vascular functions. They also compared these effects to those of traditional cigarette smoking.

The Research Experiment

The experiment included 31 healthy smokers and vapers, aged 21 to 49.

Participants attended three separate sessions during which they underwent MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans. One group smoked traditional cigarettes, while another group used e-cigarettes (vaped).

During the experiment, blood flow speed in the femoral artery (the main artery in the thigh that supplies oxygenated blood to the lower body) was measured, as well as venous oxygen saturation (the level of oxygen in the blood after it returns from body tissues to the heart).

Blood flow to the brain was also monitored using a specialized type of MRI known as phase-contrast MRI.

Key Findings

The results showed that, after inhaling either e-cigarette vapor or traditional cigarette smoke, there was a significant reduction in blood flow speed in the superficial femoral artery. This artery runs along the thigh and plays a crucial role in delivering oxygen-rich blood to the entire body.

The greatest decrease in vascular function occurred after inhaling e-cigarette vapor that contained nicotine, followed by e-cigarette vapor without nicotine.

Additionally, participants also experienced a decrease in venous oxygen saturation, regardless of whether the e-cigarette contained nicotine or not.