Yes, vaping may increase the risk of heart disease, but researchers are still learning how much it affects long-term outcomes such as heart attacks and strokes. Many vapes contain nicotine, which can raise heart rate and blood pressure, and studies have found signs of impaired blood vessel function. Vaping aerosol also contains other chemicals. It is not harmless, and using vapes alongside cigarettes may add risk.
How Can Vaping Affect Your Heart?
Vaping involves inhaling an aerosol produced by heating a liquid in an electronic cigarette. Although this aerosol is often called vapor, it is not simply water. It may contain nicotine, tiny particles, metals, flavoring chemicals, and other potentially harmful substances.
According to the American Heart Association, research has identified short-term changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and other measures of cardiovascular function after using nicotine-containing e-cigarettes. Scientists are also investigating whether repeated exposure contributes to heart disease over time. Long-term studies are still needed to establish the extent of these risks.
What Does the Research Say About Vaping and Heart Disease?
Evidence suggests that vaping can affect the cardiovascular system, but its long-term effects are not fully understood. Researchers have studied changes in blood vessels, the effects of nicotine, and possible links with major cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes.
Effects on blood vessels
Healthy blood vessels help blood flow smoothly throughout the body. Their inner lining plays an important role in controlling how vessels widen and narrow. Research supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) found that chronic e-cigarette users had impaired blood vessel function in a study involving human participants. The researchers noted that these changes may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, findings about blood vessel function do not, by themselves, establish how likely an individual is to develop heart disease.
Links with heart attacks and strokes
Evidence linking vaping with heart attacks and strokes is emerging, but results are not yet consistent enough to establish the exact long-term risk. A systematic review published in BMC Public Health in December 2025 analyzed 12 studies and reported an association between e-cigarette use and heart attacks, including in analyses that accounted for cigarette smoking. The review did not find a clear overall association with stroke. The authors emphasized that more well-designed long-term studies are needed. These findings raise concern but do not prove that vaping alone caused the events.
Which Parts of Vaping May Increase Cardiovascular Risk?
Several features of vaping may affect heart health. The level of exposure depends on the device, the liquid, its nicotine concentration, and how frequently someone uses it.
- Nicotine: Many vaping products contain nicotine, an addictive substance that can temporarily increase heart rate and blood pressure. Repeated exposure is one reason researchers are concerned about cardiovascular effects.
- Other chemicals in the aerosol: Heating liquids can expose users to particles, metals, and chemical compounds that may harm the body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that e-cigarette aerosol can contain potentially harmful substances and that the full short- and long-term health effects remain under investigation.
- Frequent or prolonged use: More frequent use can mean repeated exposure to nicotine and other aerosol constituents. Researchers are still determining how the amount and duration of exposure relate to future cardiovascular disease.
- Using vapes and cigarettes together: Using both products does not reliably protect heart health. Combining them may increase exposure to harmful substances rather than remove the risks associated with smoking.
Can Nicotine-Free Vaping Still Affect Heart Health?
Nicotine-free vaping may avoid some of the direct effects of nicotine, but it should not be considered harmless. The aerosol can still contain particles and other chemicals produced by the liquid or heating process. Product labels may also be unreliable, and some products marketed as nicotine-free have been found to contain nicotine.
Because the composition of vaping products varies, the absence of nicotine does not establish that a product is safe for the heart. Research into the cardiovascular effects of different ingredients is ongoing, and there is not enough evidence to identify a level of nicotine-free vaping that is known to be safe for long-term heart health.
Is Vaping Safer for Your Heart Than Smoking Cigarettes?
Vaping and smoking are not identical exposures. E-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer harmful chemicals than cigarette smoke, but that does not mean vaping is safe. Traditional cigarettes are an established cause of cardiovascular disease, while the full long-term cardiovascular effects of vaping remain less certain.
For someone who smokes, switching completely away from combustible cigarettes may reduce exposure to some harmful substances, but vaping still carries potential health risks. Using both cigarettes and e-cigarettes should not be treated as a safe compromise. Anyone who wants to stop smoking or vaping can discuss evidence-based support with a healthcare professional, including counseling and suitable treatments for nicotine dependence.
Who Should Be Particularly Careful About Vaping?
People with existing cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, or heart rhythm problems should discuss vaping with a healthcare professional. Current research does not fully establish how vaping affects people who already have heart disease, so it is important not to assume that these products are safe for them.
Teens and young adults should also avoid starting to vape. Nicotine is addictive, and the CDC notes that brain development continues into young adulthood. Pregnant people should avoid vaping because nicotine can harm the developing fetus. These concerns are in addition to the possible cardiovascular effects.
What Can You Do to Protect Your Heart?
The most useful step for someone who vapes is to work toward stopping rather than relying on a different flavor, device, or nicotine concentration as a guarantee of safety. A healthcare professional can help create a realistic quitting plan and discuss strategies for managing cravings or withdrawal symptoms.
If you currently smoke cigarettes as well as vape, explain both habits when discussing ways to quit. Stopping one product while continuing the other may leave important health risks in place. The American Heart Association's tobacco and nicotine cessation resources provide practical information about quitting and finding support.
It is also helpful to address established cardiovascular risk factors through routine medical care, including monitoring blood pressure and managing conditions such as diabetes or high cholesterol when present. A clinician can consider your medical history and smoking or vaping exposure when advising you about heart health.
When Should You Seek Medical Attention?
Vaping may be associated with symptoms such as a racing heartbeat or palpitations, but these experiences can have several causes. Persistent or recurring palpitations, unusual breathlessness, or symptoms that interfere with daily activities should be assessed by a healthcare professional. An evaluation may include a review of symptoms, medical history, an examination, and tests when appropriate.
Seek emergency medical care for new chest pressure or discomfort, sudden shortness of breath, pain or discomfort spreading to the arm, back, neck, or jaw, or symptoms such as cold sweating, nausea, or lightheadedness that may occur with a heart attack. The American Heart Association's heart attack warning signs guidance emphasizes that these symptoms require prompt attention. Do not assume that they are simply a reaction to vaping or wait for them to pass.
What Is the Bottom Line on Vaping and Heart Disease?
Vaping can affect heart rate, blood pressure, and blood vessel function, and research is raising concern about possible links with cardiovascular disease. However, the exact long-term risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other heart conditions is not yet fully established. Vaping should not be considered risk-free, including when products are nicotine-free. Avoiding vaping and getting appropriate support to stop smoking or using nicotine are practical steps toward protecting cardiovascular health.