Study links e-cigarettes to higher blood pressure risk

Smoking traditional cigarettes or using e-cigarettes may significantly raise the risk of high blood pressure, according to new research that adds to growing concerns about nicotine use. The study suggests that people who smoke or vape are more likely to develop both elevated blood pressure and clinical hypertension compared with those who avoid nicotine products.

The research, published in The American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology, analysed health data from 6,262 adolescents and adults aged between 12 and 80 years in the United States. Participants were part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2021 and 2023.

Scientists found that individuals who smoked or vaped had a 34 per cent higher risk of abnormally high blood pressure and a 46 per cent greater risk of hypertension than those who used neither product. Among participants, about 19 per cent reported using nicotine products: 12.6 per cent smoked cigarettes, 4.1 per cent used e-cigarettes, and 2.3 per cent used both.

Researchers also observed that nicotine users tended to have higher cholesterol levels, more body fat and greater levels of inflammation; factors that can worsen heart health. The findings suggest nicotine exposure, whether from cigarettes or vaping devices, may influence blood pressure partly through its effect on cholesterol and blood vessel function.

While the association was strongest for traditional smokers, the study noted that vaping alone may still carry cardiovascular risks, although the smaller number of exclusive vapers in the sample limited statistical certainty.

Health experts say the results challenge the common belief that vaping is a harmless alternative to smoking. The World Health Organisation has previously warned that the growing popularity of e-cigarettes is fueling a new wave of nicotine addiction, particularly among young people worldwide.

Researchers say further studies are needed to understand the long-term health effects of vaping. However, the findings highlight the importance of stronger public health measures to reduce nicotine use and protect young people from potential cardiovascular harm.