E-CIGARETTES. NEW AT 530 VAPING DANGERS, A NEW STUDY REVEALS HOW E-CIGARETTES IMPACT YOUR HEART. RESEARCHERS AT U OF L CONDUCTED THE STUDY AND SAY THE RESULTS ARE CONCERNING. AS MANY PARENTS KNOW IS GROWING IN POPULARITY AMONG TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS. WLKY MADELEINE CARTER EXPLAINS THE IMPACT IT COULD HAVE ON YOUR HEALTH. IF YOU’RE NOT VAPING PRESENTLY. I WOULD CERTAINLY RECOMMEND AGAINST PICKING IT UP. A WARNING FROM U OF L RESEARCHERS ABOUT A GROWING TREND AMONG TEENS. MY CHIEF CONCERN IS TEENAGERS, YOUTH BECOMING ADDICTED LONG TERM TO NICOTINE IN THE FORM OF AN INHALED AEROSOL. A NEW U OF L STUDY REVEALS VAPING COULD INTERFERE WITH NORMAL HEART RHYTHMS, CAUSING IT TO SPEED UP, SLOW DOWN OR SKIP A BEAT. AND RESEARCHERS SAY WHEN YOU’RE ADDICTED, YOU MAY NOT REALIZE THE HEALTH EFFECTS COULD BE LONG LASTING. THEY APPEAR SOMEWHAT HARMLESS BECAUSE IT’S NOT CIGARET SMOKE, BUT BECAUSE, AS ANYBODY WHO USES E-CIGARETTES IS EASILY GOING TO BECOME ADDICTED TO THE NICOTINE THEY’RE LIKELY TO PERPETUATE A LIFETIME OF USE. DR. ALEX KARL HAS STUDIED E-CIGARETTES FOR YEARS AT U OF L. HE AND A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS RECENTLY DISCOVERED VAPING CAN CAUSE CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS. THEY EXPOSED MICE TO CERTAIN E-CIGARETTE CHEMICALS AND SAY THE EFFECTS ON THE HEART WERE IMMEDIATE. RESEARCHERS STUDIED THE IMPACT OF MENTHOL VERSUS TOBACCO FLAVORED E-CIGARETTES, AND THEY FOUND THAT MENTHOL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED HEARTBEAT IRREGULARITIES. IF THIS WERE TO GO ON, THAT COULD INCREASE YOUR RISK OF VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION OR EVEN CARDIAC ARREST. THE MENTHOL IS KNOWN TO STIMULATE SPECIFIC RECEPTORS IN THE AIRWAYS THAT CAN ALTER HOW THE BRAIN REGULATES THE HEART. WHILE THE LONG TERM EFFECTS ARE STILL UNCLEAR, DR. KHALIL FEARS REPEATED EXPOSURE TO MENTHOL AND OTHER VAPING CHEMICALS COULD BE SERIOUS, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH UNDERLYING CONDITIONS LIKE A-FIB. HE SAYS THERE’S AN URGENT NEED FOR MORE RESEARCH IN BOTH ANIMALS AND PEOPLE. WE’RE CERTAINLY NOT DONE AT THIS