E-cigarette flavorings may pose heart risk, study finds

Chemicals used to flavor electronic cigarettes can damage cells that line blood vessels and may pose a risk to a user’s heart in the long term, according to a study published Monday.

Why it matters: The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, is the latest evidence that vaping may be harmful.

What they’re saying: “Until now, we had no data about how these e-liquids affect human endothelial cells,” said study co-author and Stanford Cardiovascular Institute director Joseph Wu.

“This study clearly shows that e-cigarettes are not a safe alternative to traditional cigarettes. When we exposed the cells to six different flavors of e-liquid with varying levels of nicotine, we saw significant damage. The cells were less viable in culture, and they began to exhibit multiple symptoms of dysfunction.”

— Joseph Wu, professor of cardiovascular medicine and radiology