Know Your Vape

Vaping and Chest Pain: Risks for US Vapers

By Know Your Vape · · Updated

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Call 911 right away if you have chest pain with shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or pain that spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, or back. These can be signs of a heart attack. Do not wait to see if it passes, and do not drive yourself.

Overview of vaping and its popularity in the US

Vaping means inhaling an aerosol made by an e-cigarette or similar device. Many adults who smoke use vapes to replace cigarettes, and vaping is also common among young people.

In 2024, about 1.63 million US middle and high school students used e-cigarettes. The legal minimum age to buy any tobacco or vaping product in the US is 21.

Vaping exposes users to fewer harmful chemicals than smoking, but it is not risk-free. This article covers what is known about vaping and chest pain, which symptoms need emergency care, and how to get help quitting.

Understanding Chest Pain

Chest pain can range from a dull ache to sharp or crushing pressure. It has many possible causes, and some are emergencies.

Common Causes of Chest Pain

  1. Muscle strain: Heavy lifting or hard exercise can strain chest muscles. The pain is usually local and worse when you move or press on the area.
  2. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Stomach acid flowing back into the esophagus can cause a burning feeling called heartburn.
  3. Costochondritis: Inflammation of the cartilage joining the ribs to the breastbone can cause tender chest pain.
  4. Lung conditions: Pneumonia, bronchitis, a collapsed lung, or a blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism) can cause chest pain. A blood clot in the lung is an emergency.

Chest Pain and Heart Health

Chest pain from the heart needs prompt attention. Heart-related causes include:

  1. Angina: Chest pain from reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, often triggered by exertion or stress.
  2. Heart attack: A sudden blockage of blood flow to the heart. Pain is often pressure or squeezing, with shortness of breath, nausea, or sweating. Call 911 immediately.
  3. Arrhythmias: Abnormal heart rhythms can cause palpitations or chest discomfort. They range from harmless to life-threatening and need a doctor's evaluation.

Never ignore chest pain that is severe, lasts more than a few minutes, or comes with other symptoms.

Internal links: vaping and chest pain, heart health

Vaping and Chest Pain

Research on the Relationship between Vaping and Chest Pain

There is little direct research on vaping and chest pain. What is known comes from studies of how nicotine and vape aerosol affect the heart, blood vessels, and airways.

The National Academies found substantial evidence that heart rate rises shortly after nicotine intake, and moderate evidence that diastolic blood pressure rises too. They also found no available evidence on clinical heart outcomes such as heart disease or stroke from vaping.

In clinical trials of vaping for quitting smoking, common side effects included throat and mouth irritation and cough, which tended to ease over time.

Potential Risks and Complications

Vaping should not be assumed to be the cause of chest pain. Heart, lung, muscle, and digestive problems are all possible, and some are serious.

If you vape and have chest discomfort, a doctor should check it. Tell them how much and what you vape, including any THC products.

A 2019 outbreak of serious lung injury, called EVALI, caused 2,807 hospitalizations or deaths by February 2020. It was strongly linked to vitamin E acetate in THC vaping products, mostly from informal sources.

Possible Explanations

Researchers have proposed several ways vaping could contribute to chest symptoms. These are plausible mechanisms, not proven causes.

Chemicals in Vaping Products

E-liquids contain nicotine, flavorings, propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerin. Some ingredients are considered safe to eat, but their effects when heated and inhaled are still being studied.

The CDC says vape aerosol can contain heavy metals, ultrafine particles, and volatile organic compounds that may irritate the airways.

Nicotine and its Effects

According to NIDA, nicotine triggers the release of epinephrine, which raises blood pressure, breathing rate, and heart rate. In people with heart disease, that extra strain could contribute to symptoms.

Inflammatory Response

The National Academies found substantial evidence of short-term blood vessel dysfunction and oxidative stress after vaping, though oxidative stress was lower than with cigarettes. Whether these effects cause long-term harm is still uncertain.

For more information on the risks of vaping, you can visit this link.

Recognizing and Addressing Chest Pain

Symptoms of Chest Pain

Chest pain can feel like pressure, squeezing, burning, or a sharp stab. It may spread to the arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, or back.

Warning signs that need urgent care include shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, dizziness, fainting, or an irregular heartbeat.

When to Seek Medical Help

Call 911 if chest pain comes with shortness of breath, sweating, or pain spreading to your arm, neck, or jaw. Also call 911 for sudden, severe, or crushing chest pain.

For mild chest pain that comes and goes, see a doctor soon. Early care can be lifesaving, and it is always better to be checked.

Tips for Quitting Vaping

If you vape and have chest symptoms, quitting nicotine is a reasonable step to discuss with your doctor.

  1. Set a quit date: Choose a specific day and mark it on your calendar.
  2. Get support: Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW for free coaching, or lean on friends and family.
  3. Ask about nicotine replacement therapy: Patches, gum, or lozenges can ease cravings. If you have heart disease, ask your doctor first.
  4. Replace the habit: Exercise (if your doctor approves), a walk, or a hobby can help you ride out cravings.
  5. Seek professional help: Doctors can recommend medication and counseling, which together give the best chance of quitting.

Conclusion

There is little direct evidence linking vaping to chest pain. Nicotine does raise heart rate and blood pressure, and vape aerosol can irritate the airways, but chest pain has many causes.

Treat chest pain seriously.

Call 911 for chest pain with shortness of breath, sweating, or pain spreading to your arm or jaw, and see a doctor for any chest pain that keeps coming back.

To learn more about the risks of vaping and the potential negative effects on various aspects of health, you can visit knowyourvape.com.

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