Vaping may cause lung damage. Vape is essentially an electronic vapor Atomization device that contains nicotine, Propylene glycol, flavor enhancers, THC and other harmful substances. Although the content is higher than that of traditional cigarettes, it causes much less damage to the lungs than traditional cigarettes. But there is still a potential for disease.
The main types of lung damage caused by vape are as follows:
1. Acute injury: Short-term excessive use of vape can cause acute inflammation in the center of the airway in some patients. Destruction of alveolar macrophages will lead to a decrease in the lung's ability to clear viruses, bacteria, dust and other foreign matter, lower immunity, and an increased chance of developing lung infections such as acute airway inflammation, bacterial pneumonia, and viral pneumonia.
2. Chronic injury: Long-term chronic use of vape will destroy the bronchial tubes and lung tissue at all levels in the lungs, causing chronic inflammation of the airways, Bronchiectasis, chronic bronchitis, causing symptoms such as cough, phlegm, and even Hemoptysis.
3. Carcinogenic effects: Although there are currently no large-scale public case or cohort studies that have clearly confirmed the causative ability of vape exposure to lung cancer, this is because the epidemic history of vape is less than 15 years, and the final results still need to wait for time to be confirmed. However, relevant animal experiments and basic research have found that nicotine and other substances can increase cell mutations and weaken the repair ability of DNA and proteins.