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E-cigarettes users have recently been warned by health experts that it may not be a safer alternative to tobacco cigarettes after all. There are various health issues connected to vaping, but recent studies suggest that it is more harmful to the heart than expected. 

According to MarketWatch, the American Heart Association presented their findings to the recently concluded Scientific Sessions meeting: vaping restricts blood flow to the heart and it affects the cholesterol level. In short, it is not good for the heart and it could be a strong argument against the use of e-cigarettes. On the other hand, the medical experts agree that more studies are needed to further support this claim.

In the study, 500 healthy adults, ages 21 to 45 were closely monitored. The group was broken down according to what type of cigarettes they use: 45 were vapers, 52 were traditional smokers and vapers, and 285 were using only tobacco cigarettes. The rest were non-smokers. 

The results revealed that those who used both vape and traditional cigarettes registered normal cholesterol levels while those who only used vape had increased cholesterol levels. As for the other study, 19 young smokers, aged 24 to 32, were gathered to determine how vaping affects blood flow. It is known that traditional cigarettes slow the flow of blood, however, those who used e-cigarettes had a slower blood flow that was further reduced while resting and after doing physical activities. 

Aside from these recent findings linked to heart conditions, experts are also looking at whether or not vaping has anything to do with depression. Per the American College of Cardiology, results revealed that those who used cigarette alternatives were twice as likely to suffer from depression. 

The list of health related risks associated with vaping is growing. A hospital in Salt Lake City registered an unusually high number of patients in August. The doctors were confused as to what went wrong, but later discovered that all patients had used vape or THC oils, Vox reported. Some of the patients displayed symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, vomiting, fatigue and diarrhea. The X-rays showed nothing but inflamed lungs. 

Determining the real cause is still up in the air, as some patients succumbed to their illnesses. On August 23, a woman died after vaping and had reported difficulty in breathing. By the end of September, vaping related deaths had climbed to 12 cases in 10 states. 

People turn to vaping hoping to curb their addiction to cigarettes. Back when it was launched in 2007, e-cigarettes or vaping were so popular that the tobacco industry suffered losses because almost everyone had to try them.

Juul, one of the leading brands of e-cigarettes in the market today, is under investigation for alleged false advertising. The company tried to present Juul as a safer option to smoking. With the increased pressure on the administration to regulate the industry, and more studies being used to prove claims that vaping is not a safer option, fans of alternative smoking devices might just want to research more about which products to use or quit smoking altogether.