Vaping as harmful to the heart as smoking: study

Vetings can be just as harmful as traditional smoking, say scientists who have discovered that e-cigarettes can have a significant impact on vascular function.

The research, published in the journal Vascular Medicine, brought to light

The study showed that electronic cigarette smokers experienced the same level of cardiovascular elevation, if not more, during long periods after smoking the electronic cigarette.

Researchers at the Schleswig-Holstein University Hospital in Germany monitored participants' vital signs during and after they smoked a cigarette, e-cigarette or e-cigarette without nicotine.

Smoking lasted for one cigarette, at least 5 minutes, and the vaping lasted one sitting. 5 minutes. The researchers found that the use of electronic cigarettes and cigarettes, compared to nicotine-free electronic cigarettes, had the same significant impact on vital signs, with the blood pressure and heart rate of participants being

. Peripheral systolic blood pressure was significantly increased for 45 minutes after the use of an electronic cigarette and 15 minutes after smoking a cigarette. The heart rate also remained high for 45 minutes for electronic cigarettes, the increase being greater than 8% for the first 30 minutes.

In comparison, traditional cigarettes only increased heart rate for 30 minutes and

Researchers said that e-cigarettes can be as dangerous as cigarettes.

"Increasing Parameters in Nicotine-containing Devices Could Be a Link to Increased Cardiovascular Risk That Is Well Known" Future trials should focus on the chronic effects of nicotine-containing vapors or Nicotine-free fluids on peripheral and central blood pressures and arterial stiffness, "the researchers said.