Vaping products are obviously popular in Los Angeles. The available THC carts in dispensaries and the disposable nicotine devices used by college students and residents show that products are in widespread use. For many Los Angelenos, vaping is a daily habit that is becoming increasingly common for youth. Many people believe that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, but the evidence for cardiovascular damage says otherwise.

Dr. Maria Tehrani, a cardiac surgeon at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and a Westwood resident, sees the negative effects of vaping on younger patients. These younger patients have high blood pressure and other problems that previously affected patients much older than them.

A Look Into Vaping And The Cardiovascular System

The idea that vape air is just water vapor is extremely misleading. Even with the water vapor myth, vape air is still aerosolized, and vape pens usually have PEG, VG, THC/Nicotine, flavoring, and metallic coils that leach toxic metals. These things will enter your blood immediately after inhalation and will literally do this to your body:

– Every time you vape, your heart rate and blood pressure will spike and be elevated.

– The inner covering of blood vessels will start to become damaged.

– Your arteries will start to become stiff, just like older smokers.

– Your blood will have a higher tendency to form clots.

– Your blood vessels will inflame.

– Your heart will have a difficult time getting oxygen and will start to have an irregular rhythm and palpitations.

– Your heart will also start to become at risk for Atrial Fibrillation.

There is a reason vaping is known to be just as bad as smoking. Many health issues will turn up with both habits, but with vaping, the health issues will probably turn up sooner.

The Nicotine Pods

Modern pods like Juul, Vuse, Elf Bars, Lost Marys, and Geek Bars have pods that are extremely powerful and contain the equivalent nicotine of multiple packs of cigarettes. Users are probably vaping way more nicotine than they even realize.

Here’s why nicotine is bad for your heart:

– Heart rate and blood pressure increase in direct relation to the amount of nicotine consumed

– Adrenaline is released

– Blood vessels become narrower

– Insulin resistance is promoted

– The heart has to work harder for oxygen, but the supply to the heart is less

For people who have coronary artery disease, all of these can cause angina (chest pain), heart rhythm problems, or even heart attacks. For young people who have no known problems with their heart, it means there will be heart problems in the future that will cause cardiac events when they are in their 40s or 50s.

THC Cartridges and Cannabis Vapes

There are other problems for the heart with THC than there are with nicotine, especially when it is vaped. The use of Cannabis, in any form, has been shown to cause:

– Increased heart rate (even hours after use)

– Increased blood pressure

– Irregular heart rhythms, like AFib

– Heart attacks (even in young people, especially within the first hour after use)

– Blood Vessels Narrowing

Compared to the past, THC is concentrated in vapes and has levels over 80%. THC has a stronger effect on the heart and is being correlated to heart problems and cardiomyopathy for people who have never had heart problems before.

Counterfeit, unregulated cartridges also are a cause for EVALI, the lung injury epidemic a few years ago. Damage to the lungs and heart are interconnected and what affects one, affects the other.

Young LA Patients Presenting Cardiac Symptoms

LA cardiac surgeons have started to see younger patients with symptoms that once only affected older patients. Some of these symptoms include:

– Chronic elevated blood pressure at 25 years old

– 30-year-old patients that present with palpitations and AFib that have no family history of cardiac disease

– Patients with early signs of cardiac dysfunction that present with no risk factors

– Young patients that present with an acute myocardial infarction that have either used cannabis or vaped freely

Many patients present with a combination of stress and sleep issues that are untreated, but also heavy, high-volume daily energy drink and pre-workout use. LA lifestyle creates the perfect storm.

Vaping with Pre-Existing Cardiac Conditions

Vaping is a habit one picks up and stands neutral to if they are not suffering from any cardiac condition. However, if you are suffering from any cardiac condition, you are actively choosing to sabotage any treatment you may be receiving.

Patients suffering from cardiac symptoms and who also use either nicotine or THC face the following issues:

– Difficulty in managing blood pressure

– Difficulty in managing arrhythmias

– Increased incidence of cardiac events

– Delayed recovery from surgery

– Increased risk of stent re-blockage

– Increased risk of issues with anesthesia and surgery

Surgical teams will need to know your history of vaping, what you are vaping, and the frequency of your use before any surgery. This information is vital to your safety.

What’s Helpful?

Any age is a good time to stop using nicotine or THC vape products; your heart will thank you for it. If you stop using these products, within a few weeks:

– Blood pressure decreases
– Heart rate returns to normal
– Blood vessels function better
– Sleep improves
– Heart palpitations may reduce

There are a few steps that can help:

– Ask your doctor for a prescription for stop smoking medication or get a referral for behavioral support

– Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW and use other stop smoking services. The California Smokers’ Helpline is also a good resource.

– Avoid triggers that you know make you want to smoke. That can be stress or social situations. It can also be alcohol.

– Offset the smoking ritual by doing something else. Many users miss the habit of smoking as much as the nicotine.

– Know how much you are smoking by keeping a record of how often you smoke.

It’s never too late to be better for your heart and your health.

When to Consult a Doctor

If you have the following, you should schedule a cardiac evaluation:

– and symptoms that are associated with poor heart health like palpitations, pain in the chest or difficulty breathing after little to no exertion

– high blood pressure in your 20-40s

– a family history of early heart disease and you regularly use a vape

– plans for a cardiac surgery while still planning to regularly use a vape

– a recent cardiac event and are not sure if it’s still ok to use

If you have any of the following you need to call 911:

– pain in the chest that is sudden and really bad

– passing out or other symptoms of a stroke like a droopy face, weakness, or slurred speech.

Vaping is not a great substitute for smoking, especially for those who already have heart disease or who have heart disease risk factors. Vaping can be dangerous for those patients. If you vape regularly and want a professional opinion about your heart, or if you have heart symptoms and you use nicotine or THC, Dr. Maria Tehrani provides caring services for patients throughout Los Angeles. Our discussions are confidential and focus on your health. We are not here to judge.