Thromboembolism occurs when a pulmonary artery is blocked by a blood clot (thrombus). This is an extremely dangerous condition that requires immediate attention. The habit, which has grown in popularity in recent years, can significantly increase the risk of disease.
Smoking is one of the main culprits of problems with blood vessels and blood pressure. Under the influence of nicotine, blood circulation is disturbed, vasospasm occurs, and atherosclerotic plaques form in them. The viscosity of the blood changes, which leads to the formation of blood clots that clog the vessels.
Many people know about this and refuse regular cigarettes, looking for an alternative to them. Electronic cigarettes are considered less harmful to health. For example, the UK once actively promoted them to help its citizens “quit smoking”.
A study published in Express showed that seemingly healthier alternatives to smoking can be just as unhealthy. Moreover, many e-cigarette users have not previously smoked traditional cigarettes, suggesting that this habit may be due to fashion.
Researchers from Sweden have investigated the link between blood clots, high blood pressure and e-cigarette smoking. The study involved 22 people aged 18 to 45 who smoked from time to time (both women and men).
Volunteers had their blood pressure and heart rate measured, and blood samples were taken both and after smoking electronic cigarettes. The researchers also performed tests to monitor circulation in the body's tiny blood vessels both before and after the process.
The results showed that the use of e-cigarettes containing nicotine caused a number of immediate short-term changes in the participants. The team found an average 23 percent increase in blood clots after 15 minutes, which returned to normal levels after 60 minutes.
The blood vessels of the volunteers temporarily narrowed after using e-cigarettes, and the heart rate increased from an average of 66 beats per minute to 73 beats per minute. Blood pressure increased from an average of 108 mmHg to 117 mmHg
Doctors say e-cigarettes are dangerous for teens
— Harm caused by smoking traditional cigarettes, including The effects of nicotine on the body are well known. Electronic cigarettes are relatively new, so we know much less about what they do to the body. This study shows that e-cigarettes containing nicotine can cause blood clots in users and impair the adaptation of their small blood vessels. Some people may use e-cigarettes when trying to quit smoking because they are marketed as safe, but this study adds to growing evidence of the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, said the chair of the European Respiratory Society Tobacco Control Committee.
Smokers e-cigarettes destroy their lungs
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