An Analysis on the Cardiopulmonary Consequences of Vaping Among Adolescents

Abstract

Despite not being approved as a cessation aid by the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA), e-cigarettes have sometimes been presented in this way by the industry as a means to help adults stop smoking cigarettes; however, their novelty and customizability have led them into the hands of unintended users, especially teenagers. The research community is increasingly interested in understanding the respiratory and cardiovascular consequences of e-cigarette use since most new users have never smoked traditional cigarettes. Adult e-cigarette users have been the subject of most studies, but these participants are typically former smokers or those who have switched from traditional smoking to e-cigarettes. In this population, e-cigarette use does not alone cause respiratory and cardiovascular consequences. The health effects of naive e-cigarette use have been studied in preclinical studies; however, almost all of these studies used adult animals, which makes translating results to adolescents difficult. Research into novel therapeutic treatment strategies would be helped by a more comprehensive understanding of the pathways involved in toxicity when inhaled foreign substances can affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. This scientific statement aims to provide important background information about the cardiopulmonary consequences of vaping in adolescents, assist in the development of therapeutic and prevention strategies, and inform public policymakers about the risks associated with vaping, both short-term and long-term. With frequent entry and rapid evolution of products in the marketplace, electronic nicotine delivery systems have gained popularity over the past decade. Beyond the nicotine content and ratio of vegetable glycerin (VG) to propylene glycol (PG), the composition of liquids within these devices (commonly called electronic liquids) is not publicly known, making it difficult to predict the health effects, including effects on the lungs and heart. It is difficult to regulate e-cigarettes due to their customizable nature, such as power levels, e-liquid content, and a wide array of flavors, and outbreaks of e-cigarette and vaping product use–associated lung injury have made people aware of the dangers associated with illicit cannabis vapes. E-cigarettes are continuously developing products that are continually evolving. Therefore, reducing their public health burden requires understanding their health effects. As the e-cigarette user group grows, the latest evidence regarding cardiopulmonary effects of e-cigarettes will be reviewed in this scientific statement.