(Kaieteur News) – Cardiologist, Dr. Mahendra Carpen has linked vaping to an increase in stroke and heart attacks among young people in Guyana, warning that the practice can have severe and sometimes immediate health consequences.

Speaking during an interview on Sources on Monday, Dr. Carpen described vaping as a troubling and growing trend in Guyana, noting that the chemicals contained in products can, in some cases, have more immediate adverse effects than traditional tobacco smoking.

“They can cause your heart to race. They can cause the blood vessels to spasm, and when that happens, it raises your blood pressure and can actually cause heart attacks by causing spasms of the coronary artery,” he said.