Vaping nearly doubles the risk of heart rhythm problems for kids and young adults.
March 13, 2026
Original Paper
Increased Risk of Heart Rhythm Abnormalities in Adolescents and Young Adults who Vape: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
medRxiv · 10.64898/2026.03.12.26348232
The Takeaway
While the focus on vaping usually centers on lung damage, this massive study of over 100,000 patients found an 82% higher risk of heart rhythm issues in people as young as 11. This reveals a startling cardiovascular vulnerability in a population that typically assumes e-cigarettes are less harmful than tobacco.
From the abstract
Background: Vaping among adolescents and young adults (AYA) could affect cardiovascular health. While pulmonary outcomes of vaping are well-documented, the link between vaping and abnormalities of heart rhythm remains unclear. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to test the hypothesis that the risk of heart rhythm abnormalities is increased in AYA who vape. Methods: We used data from the TriNetX network to identify two cohorts of AYA (11 to 24 years old). The first cohort included individu