Is vaping dangerous: research by scientists
Several years ago, steam inhalation devices appeared on the shelves.
The rise in popularity of vaping is a trend that carries real health risks
The rise in popularity of vaping is a trend that carries real health risks. Together with an expert, we understand the peculiarities of this type of smoking and talk about the consequences
What is vape
Several years ago, steam inhalation devices appeared on the shelves. They have been promoted as a safe alternative to habitual nicotine cigarettes. Devices can be of different designs and sizes: in the form of boxes with a tube-nozzle or long cylinders. In addition to e-cigarettes and mini-hookahs, vape refueling liquids with various aromatic properties are sold. There are a lot of them; there are cherries, coffee, lemon, marmalade, banana mousse, strawberries with cream, and even biscuits with lemon and vanilla cream. Contains: glycerin, propylene glycol and aromatic additives. Some fillers contain nicotine, others do not, this is indicated on the packaging. The vape is similar to an inhaler: inside it, the liquid heats up and boils, resulting in the formation of vapor for inhalation.
A new type of smoker began to be called vapers (from the English "vaping" - "vaping"), and a new Vapour Store trend appeared. Competitions are held among fans of electronic cigarettes, specialized establishments are opened for them, and the devices themselves are produced in an exclusive design.
Paradoxically, people who want to quit smoking often become vapers. The main harm to health is caused by carcinogenic substances contained in cigarettes. At the same time, some smokers mistakenly believe that the negative ends with an unpleasant smell of tobacco and constant spending.
Why vaping is harmful - data from 2020
In September 2020, a study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association on the use of e-cigarettes and vaping products. Scientists have compared the effects of different inhalations - vapor with and without nicotine, as well as tobacco smoke compared to regular air. None of the experimental rats exposed to uncontaminated air developed respiratory distress or other illnesses. At the same time, 14 of 18 animals that received steam with impurities began to suffer from shortness of breath, they noted audible wheezing and lack of activity, one rat died.
Vaping increases blood pressure, causes endothelial dysfunction and increases the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. The condition, dubbed e-cigarette-related lung injury (EVALI), was reported in the United States in June 2019, and cases increased markedly over the next three months. New patients continue to be reported. In March 2020, 2,800 cases of the disease were registered in the United States, 68 of which were fatal. Typical victims are young men and women with recent e-cigarette use and acute respiratory distress, including symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest discomfort, cough, fever and fatigue. On the X-ray of the victims, the doctors discovered bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, and as a result of histology, they revealed pneumonitis, bronchiolitis, and alveolar injuries.
"Popcorn disease" from vape
In 2019, a 17-year-old teenager from Canada was diagnosed with initial bronchitis obliterans, a severe respiratory disease that causes bronchiole obstruction. The young man smoked a vape for several months before he felt the first symptoms: shortness of breath, tachycardia and dry cough.
At the time of the diagnosis, there was a question about a possible lung transplant, but the doctors managed to save the patient due to the timely prescribed therapy with high doses of corticosteroids. “This patient had severe acute bronchiolitis, possibly associated with respiratory trauma from vaping, with some features suggestive of subsequent early bronchiolitis obliterans,” concluded the medical team from the Lawson Health Research Institute and the University Health Network, who took participation in the treatment of a teenager.
Obliterating bronchitis can develop for various reasons, including the risks of occurrence increase: rheumatoid arthritis, the consequences of organ transplantation and viral infections. But most often the disease is provoked by inhalation of toxic vapors, including sulfur dioxide, ammonia, chlorine, hydrogen chloride and diacetyl. The latter is used in e-cigarette flavors. This type of bronchitis was nicknamed "popcorn disease" after mass cases of lung damage were recorded among employees of microwave popcorn production. It also used an oily flavor.