LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Dr. Alex Carll is an assistant professor at the University of Louisville’s School of Medicine Physiology Department who has been studying the effects of e-cigarettes for more than six years.

What You Need To Know

  • E-cigarettes containing nicotine salts may cause arrhythmias

  • An arrhythmia can lead to sudden cardiac death

  • Dr. Alex Carll, a researcher at the University of Louisville, says if someone is going to use e-cigarettes, he reccomends choosing a product with a lower nicotine salt level

  • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevenion, as of 2021, 4.5% of adults 18 and over were current e-cigarette users

“We examined the impacts of freebase nicotine, nicotine salts, and then something intended to simulate synthetic nicotine. These three different types of nicotine have sort of been involved in the evolution of e-cigarettes,” said Carll. 

Carll’s study compared heart rate data in mice exposed to vape aerosols containing the different types of nicotine. He’s found that the nicotine found in e-cigarettes may not be as harmless as some people may think.

He says e-cigarettes containing nicotine salts may cause arrhythmias, or an irregular heartbeat. An arrhythmia can lead to sudden cardiac death.

 “We are researching flavors actually and their likelihood of causing arrhythmias. These devices all contain nicotine salts in them, which we found were particularly likely among the nicotine types to disrupt heart rhythms. And this is a disposable pod device that has a limited number of puffs before you run out of e-liquid and then you throw it away,” said Carll. 

Carll explains that the dose level determines the effects. If someone is going to use e-cigarettes, he recommends choosing a product with a lower nicotine salt level.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2021, 4.5% of adults 18 and over were current e-cigarette users. Most users are age 18-24.

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