Blood Pressure and E-Cigs

[Niya]

Hi! I'm new here, but have read and re-read most of the threads on this forum. I have hypertension (and mild emphysema BTW). My MD had a hard time bringing my BP down over the last year. Well, I got my first e-cig (NJoy) yesterday and, since I measure my BP a couple of times a day, I was startled that my BP went from 142/85 in the am taking a B-line down to 108/60.

Does anyone else measure BP daily? Anybody else experience that? I'm going to see the nurse at my clinic tomorrow to double-check my monitor and also double-check what happens to my BP both before I smoke my e-cig and a half-hour after I smoke it.

Lowering my BP is great, but hey, 108/60 after one day's use? I'm nervous about how low it will go if I continue.

Thanks for all the great info here!!!!! And thanks for any input you all might have!

[SmokeyJoe]

Wow, that is a pretty amazing reduction, and it does seem to repeat the observations made by Dr Loi.

I wonder if you wouldn't mind keeping us all up to date? One of my big questions has always been the ratio between the nicotine/other chemicals in tobacco smoke and the rise in blood pressure. In other words, what is the comparative danger of long term nicotine usage?

Have you spoken to your doctor about this yet? I'd love to hear his/her thoughts.

[Niya]

I'll let you know what happens tomorrow. My doctor won't see me just to check blood pressure, but what the nurse observes will go in my chart and the MD will see it and call me if necessary.

Nicotine causes BP spikes, so I think it could be propylene glycol, but that's just a hunch.

[TropicalBob]

My BP seems directly related to nicotine intake, not tobacco smoking or e-smoking. I was able last year to jump the BP 20 points on both ends by putting a snus tobacco pouch in my cheek during an office visit and test. Startled the doctor a bit.

In my case, I think a high nicotine cartridge would jerk my BP up; a low or no-nicotine, I'm guessing, would stabilize it at a lower level. If you're already using no-nicotine cartridges, then this isn't the case for you.

Let us know your doctor's thinking on this pretty radical jump/decline.

[Niya]

Tropical Bob, The spike isn't really a spike in the am for me--it's a little low for my normal reading in the morning right after I take my meds. It's the plummet that I'm concerned about, because it's too low too fast IMHO. My BP has never been that low for years. I used the "Medium" cartridge, and I usually smoke ultralight cigarettes.

[Niya]

BP Drop NOT from E-Cig

My home monitor is faulty. Sorry if my deal was of concern to people. Off to buy a new one. Glad for the news, though.

[TropicalBob]

Phew. Thanks for getting back on this.

[jimldk]

I want to know too Niya.....BP patients on e-smoking has been under constant followup and what I found was a significant drop in Systolic and diastolic Bp...but Heartrate / pulse rate seems a little faster in some 50% of BP patients...I am still monitoring those patients but it could be anything...PG or VG version of liquids does not alter the HR/Pulse..it is linked to Nicotine.... and directly proportional to the strength of Nicotine used.

[SmokeyJoe]

Thanks for the info Jim.

[CaSHMeRe]

+1 ... excellent info.

How long have these studies been going on now?