Vaping has seen a sharp rise in popularity as former smokers change old habits and young people flock to the flavors of affordable disposable vapes.

While vaping has long been considered the healthy alternative to smoking combustible cigarettes because there are fewer toxins and chemicals involved, a2023 study concluded that “there is a need to reassess the assumption that e-cigarette use provides substantial harm reduction across all cigarette-caused diseases, particularly accounting for dual use.”

 These health risks, especially among young people, are often misconceived. In one study, most participants “did not perceive vaping as significantly harmful.” 

Here, we look at one of the leading health risks: blood pressure and cardiovascular health. 

Vaping and Blood Pressure

Most vape liquid contains nicotine, the addictive chemical found in cigarettes. Nicotine directly affects blood pressure by stimulating the release of adrenalin, constricting blood vessels, and increasing heart rate.

It also makes the heart beat much faster, so it’s working harder to pump blood around the body, which can also lead to elevated blood pressure. The long-term effects of nicotine use can be damage to the endothelial cells in the blood vessels, which leads to sustained high blood pressure.

A2024 WHF Policy brief concluded, “a large body of evidence indicates that nicotine, as well as ENDS, are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other adverse behavioral and health effects.” 

Vape juice or e-liquid contains nicotine ranging from 0 mg (no nicotine) to 20 mg (super high nicotine concentration). While cigarettes contain 8–20 mg of nicotine, only about 10% is absorbed into the body.

This number leaps to around 50% with vaping. One study into a leading vape brand found one “pod” containing e-liquid was equivalent to 13-30 cigarettes. While using a low-nicotine vape can be better for reducing nicotine intake, it is also common to inadvertently increase your intake while vaping. 

Research on Vaping and Blood Pressure

Vaping is still relatively new, and there is a long way to go until we truly understand the long-term effects on the body. However, several studies look at vaping and its impact on the body, including how it can alter blood pressure.

One2024 study that looked at e-cigarette exposure in rats concluded that “vaping did not cause an increase in blood pressure or heart rate, nor did it change cardiac function compared to air in young rats after 12 weeks of exposure, while standard cigarette smoking was associated with an increase in blood pressure.”

However, this study also found that older rats may be more acutely affected by e-cigarette use. Another more recent study from 2024, concluded “vaping negatively affected diastolic blood pressure more than the control.” 

According to a2021 study, “Vapers consumed nicotine significantly more frequently than did smokers, at 48.2% and 18.1% of every 15-minute waking measurement, respectively (p = 0.000). The act of nicotine consumption, rather than the mode of delivery, was significantly associated with increases in systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate readings.” 

This evidence suggests that the convenience of vaping may lead users to take more hits than they would if they had to spark up a cigarette, which can lead to a higher level of nicotine exposure.

High blood pressure from vaping in the short term can lead to dizziness and heart palpitations and, in the long term, can lead to chronic high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, which increases the chance of heart disease and stroke. 

Potential Risks Beyond Blood Pressure

In addition to negatively impacting blood pressure and an increase in hypertension among users, cardiovascular health can be affected in other ways, as a2024 study by the American College of Cardiology found.

This large study concluded that “people who use e-cigarettes are significantly more likely to develop heart failure compared with those who have never used them.” Anotherstudy from 2024 found “E-cigarettes were associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality.” 

Vaping can also lead to artery stiffness due to the chemicals found in vape liquid promoting a response from the body and causing inflammation. It’s essential to stay up to date with the most recent studies to understand the changing face of vaping as new evidence emerges. 

What Do Health Experts Say?

The messaging from healthcare professionals around the world about whether vaping is a healthy alternative to combustible cigarettes is mixed. In places like the UK and Australia, vaping is generally considered as harm reduction.

Professor Ann McNeill from King's said: "There is no evidence that e-cigarettes are undermining England's falling smoking rates. Instead, the evidence consistently finds that e-cigarettes are another tool for stopping smoking, and in my view, smokers should try vaping, and vapers should stop smoking cigarettes entirely."

However, anNIH-funded study showed the damaging effects of vaping on blood vessels. 

"In our human study, we found that chronic e-cigarette users had impaired blood vessel function, which may put them at increased risk for heart disease," said Matthew L. Springer, Ph.D., a professor of medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the University of California in San Francisco. 

The U.S. Surgeon General called e-cigarette use among young people a "public health concern," which is a view shared byThe American Heart Association. TheCDC states, "There are no safe tobacco products, including e-cigarettes."  

If you have high blood pressure or other cardiovascular conditions, you are at a higher risk of vaping. Instead, consider taking steps to stop consuming nicotine entirely. 

Vaping vs. Smoking: A Comparative Risk Assessment

It isn’t clear whether vaping is a lower risk than smoking regarding blood pressure, as more evidence is needed into this question specifically. However, vaping in moderation or with very low nicotine amounts is a safer bet than smoking combustible cigarettes on overall health due to lower levels of toxins and less nicotine exposure.

If you have hypertension, switching from smoking to vaping, as one study found, “blood pressure (BP) was controlled in smokers with arterial hypertension who switched to electronic cigarettes (11).”

In contrast, another cross-sectional study concluded that “current users of e-cigarettes had higher odds for the prevalence of hypertension.” It is safer to stop consuming nicotine products entirely if you have hypertension or lower your nicotine intake safely. 

Conclusion

Vaping causes an increase in blood pressure and can impact overall cardiovascular health, heightened because of the convenience and discreteness of vaping when compared with traditional smoking, which can lead to higher nicotine intake.

It is essential to stay up to date with the latest studies into vaping and blood pressure, especially comparative studies with traditional cigarettes if you are planning on making the switch. If you are worried about your blood pressure, consult a healthcare professional.