Researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder have identified a potential link between vaping and an elevated risk of stroke among younger people. The findings appeared in a study published by the Journal of Applied Physiology, signaling an important note for public health conversations about e-cigarette use among adolescents and young adults.
The study examined a group of 27 healthy individuals aged 19 to 25, a range that includes both late teens and young adults transitioning into full independence. The cohort comprised 10 non-smokers, 10 e-cigarette users, and seven traditional cigarette smokers. Scientists specifically investigated endothelial cell microparticles, tiny bubble-like particles that detach from blood vessel walls during inflammatory processes and circulate in the bloodstream. These microparticles are increasingly regarded as markers of vascular stress and potential contributors to cardiovascular events when their levels rise.
Analyses showed that vaping was associated with detectable changes in how the blood vessels and heart operate, changes that could heighten the likelihood of ischemic stroke in younger individuals. Ischemic stroke occurs when the blood supply to parts of the brain is blocked, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. The researchers propose that the altered state of the vascular system, reflected by microparticle release, may be a pathway by which e-cigarette use increases stroke risk in this age group.
There is a growing consensus in the medical community that nicotine delivery through e-cigarettes may not be harmless, particularly for the developing bodies of young people. The study’s authors emphasized that their results support the view that e-cigarettes do not constitute a healthier alternative to conventional cigarettes. Further research is needed to clarify the long-term cardiovascular implications of vaping and to determine whether these findings hold across broader populations and different vaping products.
Overall, the Colorado research adds to a body of evidence suggesting that lung and vascular health can be affected by e-cigarette exposure in adolescence and early adulthood. Public health officials, clinicians, and families may wish to consider these potential risks when discussing nicotine use with youths and young adults, especially in communities where vaping prevalence is high and access to cessation resources remains limited. The study points to the importance of ongoing surveillance of vascular biomarkers like endothelial microparticles and calls for larger, more diverse studies to establish clearer causal relationships and to explore whether quitting vaping reverses the early vascular changes observed in this population (citation: Journal of Applied Physiology, University of Colorado at Boulder researchers).