E-Cigarettes Hurt Heart Health, Possibly More Than Regular Cigarettes

Smoking cigarettes has long been established as a major cause of heart disease deaths; now, there's growing evidence that electronic cigarettes may hurt the heart, too.

In two separate studies that will presented at the upcoming meeting of the American Heart Association, e-cigarettes use was shown to impact cholesterol, as well as the body's ability to pump blood.

In one study, researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine compared the cholesterol levels among four groups of adults: people who used e-cigarettes, people who smoked regular cigarettes, those who used both products, and nonsmokers. All 476 participants were basically healthy and had not been diagnosed with heart disease.

But those who vaped, the study found, had higher levels of unhealthy LDL cholesterol, on average, compared with nonsmokers. And levels of healthy HDL cholesterol were lower among people who used both traditional and e-cigarettes.

"This is a snapshot of what is happening right now" in the bodies of people who vape, said Dr. Sana Majid, a study author and postdoctoral fellow in vascular biology at Boston University School of Medicine.

"There is a lot we still don’t know about electronic cigarettes. It’s going to take time for us to understand how e-cigarettes affect your heart health" in the long-term, she told NBC News.

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