How E-Cigs Harm Your Heart

Did you know that e-cigarettes, both those models which contain nicotine, and those which do not contain it, may have lasting negative effects on your cardiovascular system’s health? And it doesn’t just stop there, with other organs being affected as well, such as the lungs.

In fact, due to the plethora of toxic and otherwise harmful chemicals and components found in e-cigarettes’ e-liquids (the liquid which is heated by the e-cigarette device to create the aerosol the user inhales), the heart may sustain irreparable damage as a result.

In this article, we will talk about some of the most commonly found harmful substances in e-cigarettes, followed by explaining just how e-cigs harm your heart.

Harmful Substances In E-Cigarettes

While e-cigarettes are commonly thought of as safe alternatives to smoking, this could not be further from the truth.

As a matter of fact, in recent years, an entirely new (and serious) health condition has surfaced, known as EVALI or e-cigarette and vape associated lung injury. This condition, as its name implies, is uniquely caused by the use of e-cigarettes and other vape products.

This health condition has been shown to have fatal consequences in a concerningly high number of cases, with irritation and scarring of the tissue in the respiratory system causing trouble breathing, sometimes to the point of a complete cessation of the lungs’ functions.

We will now go over some of the harmful chemicals found in e-cigarettes and other vaping products, in order to paint a clearer picture and show just why e-cigarettes are harmful to not just the heart, but the whole body.

First, let’s talk about formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a very dangerous chemical for living organisms, due to its high levels of toxicity and carcinogenic (meaning cancer-causing) potential. This chemical is commonly used in the process of embalming corpses by funeral homes and trophy hunters. While generally safe to use on corpses, on account of them being, well, dead, it is incredibly harmful to living beings.

Next, let’s talk about antifreeze. Yes, you have read that right. The same stuff that can be found in your car’s coolant system can also be often found in vape and e-cigarette juices, which are inhaled in aerosolized form. Needless to say, inhaling antifreeze is not healthy.

More often than not, the presence of heavy metals such as chromium, lead and nickel just to name a few, may also be detected in vape and e-cigarette products. These heavy metals may be toxic and cause extensive harm with prolonged, repeated exposure through ingestion and inhalation.

Nicotine, the same stuff that is found in traditional cigarettes, and is the main reason behind people being addicted to smoking cigarettes, is also found in many e-cigarettes and vapes. Nicotine is highly addictive as a substance, and has been shown to increase blood pressure, cause narrowing of the blood levels and cause a heightened heart rate.

Microplastics may also be found in the aerosol produced by e-cigarettes and vapes. Microplastics, though our knowledge of their effects on the human body is still limited, have been linked to a multitude of possible health problems in humans by a number of recent clinical studies.

Ultrafine particles of solid material are also often present in the aerosol that e-cigarette users inhale. These are very small, very light particles that can be easily inhaled by the user without them even noticing doing so. Because of their solid nature, and in spite of their very small size, they can cause irritation and scarring of respiratory system tissue, such as in the lungs or airways, and may sometimes end up in other places, including the heart and on the walls of blood vessels.

With all of this being said, let’s now look at how e-cigs harm your heart, based on the information provided above.

How E-Cigs Harm Your Heart

E-cigarettes harm your heart in quite a few ways, but the most notable way in which they do so is through the nicotine present in them, for those that do contain nicotine.

As mentioned earlier in this article, nicotine is a stimulant that increases the heart rate of the user when ingested, regardless of the way that it is being ingested. The effect of nicotine on our bodies is the same, no matter whether we inhale the nicotine in the form of smoke, or in the form of aerosol produced by an e-cigarette.

The increased heart rate resulting from nicotine can put extra strain on the heart, tiring the heart over time, and can lead to a number of heart diseases and, in the cases of already existing heart conditions, worsen the symptoms and overall condition of the heart.

Additionally, nicotine increases the risk of developing blood clots, due to the narrowing of the blood vessels such as veins and arteries, and the increased blood pressure resulting from nicotine use. These blood clots may clog up the arteries leading to and from the heart, which may result in heart attacks, which are incredibly dangerous and potentially deadly events.

Next, the ultrafine particles present in the aerosol of e-cigarettes may also lead to these particles depositing themselves on the walls of blood vessels, or even ending up in the heart itself, further increasing the risk of a heart attack as a result of blood vessel clogging.

Some of the other chemicals present in the aerosol emitted by e-cigarettes may also lead to heart attacks, either on their own, or due to the damage they cause to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, which in turn cause damage to the heart. Our organs are designed to work together, in unison, like a machine, and damage to one area can lead to damage in other areas, such as for example damage to the lungs resulting in damage to the heart.

Conclusion

E-cigarettes harm the heart in a varying number of ways, most commonly through the nicotine present in them, but also in a number of additional possible ways.

It is important to keep in mind the potentially deadly dangers posed by this vice, and consider whether it is a risk worth taking or not. Health is something very precious, and sometimes we can not necessarily recover it once it goes bad enough.

I wish you a healthy life and a good day. Thank you for reading, and take care.