PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – A new study finds that e-cigarette users face a 15% higher risk of stroke at a younger age than traditional cigarette users.
Researchers believe the greater risk may be related to the chemicals, included the added flavorings, in e-cigarettes that make them so compelling to many users.
“Those can have harmful effects on the blood vessels, not just to the brain but all over the body, and that can cause strokes, strokes such as clots in the brain, as well as bleeding in the brain, and that’s something we want to learn more about. From the study, it’s not yet clear what types of stroke are more common, but overall there was an increased risk of all kinds of strokes among e-cigarette users,” said Dr. Brijesh Mehta, Director of the Comprehensive Stroke Program at Memorial Healthcare System.
Mehta said data shows e-cigs also elevate other cardiovascular risks, adding to the mounting evidence that the devices are not a safe alternative to traditional smoking, and may in fact be as or more detrimental to overall health.
The findings of the study will be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2022, the AHA’s largest cardiovascular meeting in the world.
Fish for the brain
When it comes to protecting brain health, recent research suggests people should focus on fish.
The cross-sectional study published in the journal Neurology found that eating fish two or more times per week was associated with lower levels of brain abnormalities related to vascular brain damage, especially in people under the age of 75.
Vascular brain disease is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States.