FDA is investigating nearly three dozen reports of seizures after vaping
- The FDA received 35 reports between 2010 and 2019 of people suffering seizures after vaping.
- It’s unclear whether using e-cigarettes causes these seizures, the FDA says.
- Severe cases of nicotine poisoning can cause seizures.
Could vaping trigger seizures?
Can vaping cause seizures? The FDA recently revealed that e-cigarette users had reported suffering from seizures after using vape products such as JUUL pens. Between 2010 and 2019, poison control and the FDA reportedly received 35 reports of seizures in connection with the use of e-cigarettes. These reports were voluntary and the FDA notes that ...
Can smoking marijuana cause a seizure?
Unlike some other psychotropic drugs, marijuana has not been linked to seizures. Evidence shows that cannabinoids can help control the excitability in the central nervous system that may otherwise lead to seizures. The CBD component of marijuana is considered safer and more effective for seizure treatment than the THC component.
Can smoking cigarettes cause a seizure?
Nicotine is the primary compound in cigarettes. When consumed over a considerable period, this chemical compound increases the risk of suffering a seizure. Smokers can minimize the potential of suffering an attack by cutting back on the habit or, better still, quitting altogether.
Can vaping cause lung disease and breathing problems?
Vaping has also been shown to cause irreparable lung damage, which could making breathing more difficult. In fact, many of the people who have been recently hospitalized after vaping were also put on life support because they couldn't breath on their own.
Can you get seizures from vaping?
In August 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it found 127 reports of seizures and other neurological symptoms, including fainting and tremors, related to e-cigarette users from 2010 to 2019. Most of the seizures occurred in young people.
How much nicotine can cause a seizure?
Furthermore, microinjection of nicotine (100 and 300 μg/side) into the amygdala elicited convulsive seizures in a dose-related manner. The present results suggest that nicotine elicits convulsive seizures by activating amygdalar neurons mainly via α7 nACh receptors.
Can you have a seizure because of nicotine?
Seizures or convulsions are known potential side effects of nicotine toxicity and have been reported in the scientific literature in relation to intentional or accidental swallowing of e-liquid.
What are side effects of vaping?
The most commonly-reported adverse effects were throat/mouth irritation, headache, cough, and nausea, which tended to dissipate with continued use....The most common side effects of vaping include:coughing.dry mouth and throat.shortness of breath.mouth and throat irritation.headaches.
What are common causes of seizures?
Causes of seizures can include:Abnormal levels of sodium or glucose in the blood.Brain infection, including meningitis and encephalitis.Brain injury that occurs to the baby during labor or childbirth.Brain problems that occur before birth (congenital brain defects)Brain tumor (rare)Drug abuse.Electric shock.Epilepsy.More items...
Can smoking trigger seizures?
Even light to moderate smokers were as likely to develop seizures as those who smoked heavily. They did find that the number of years a person has smoked could increase the risk. Those who were smoking for many years had a slightly higher risk of developing unprovoked seizures.
What does a seizure feel like?
Some seizures cause the body to jerk and shake (a "fit"), while others cause problems like loss of awareness or unusual sensations. They typically pass in a few seconds or minutes. Seizures can occur when you're awake or asleep. Sometimes they can be triggered by something, such as feeling very tired.
Is vaping good for people with epilepsy?
While these reports have been widely disseminated, there has been much less attention to reports that indicate vaping may cause or worsen seizures. As of August 2019, the Food and Drug Administration reported over 125 cases of seizures after the use of e-cigarettes.
Can cigarette smoke trigger seizures?
Even light to moderate smokers were as likely to develop seizures as those who smoked heavily. They did find that the number of years a person has smoked could increase the risk. Those who were smoking for many years had a slightly higher risk of developing unprovoked seizures.
Does nicotine lower seizure threshold?
The study highlights the fact that intake of nicotine, through agonism to nAChR, might predispose epileptic patients to lower seizure threshold and induce a state of refractoriness to the protective effects of the antiepileptic drugs, resulting in possible breakthrough seizure attacks.
How do you know if your getting too much nicotine?
What are the signs and symptoms of nicotine poisoning?Nausea and vomiting. Vomiting occurs in more than 50% of people with symptoms.Increased salivation.Abdominal pain.Pale skin color.Sweating.Increased blood pressure.Increased heart rate.Rapid, heavy breathing (hyperpnea).More items...•
What drugs are used in e-cigarettes?
In some cases, e-cigarettes were being used with drugs like marijuana and amphetamines.
Is vaping a health hazard?
It's not the first time the FDA has flagged a potential health hazard with vaping devices — the agency has warned of rare burns and explosions related to overheating of batteries that power the devices.
Can you use nicotine in e-cigarettes?
Additionally, many refillable e-cigarettes can be used with nicotine formulas of varying strength. Nicotine poisoning can cause seizures, convulsions, vomiting and brain injury. The FDA has previously warned of potentially fatal nicotine poisoning in infants and children who accidentally swallowed nicotine solutions.
Can e-cigarettes be used for adults?
Gottlieb noted in April that e-cigarettes "can offer an alternative for currently addicted adult smokers to migrate off of combustible tobacco onto something that doesn't have all the same risks associated with it. But it can't come at the expense of addicting a whole generation of kids onto nicotine through these e-cigarette products."
How long after smoking e-cigarette can you get seizures?
Seizures have been reported as occurring after a few puffs or up to one day after use. Most of the self-reported data that the FDA has received does not contain any specific brand or sub-brand information about the e-cigarette.
How many seizures are there from e-cigarettes?
After examining poison control centers' reports between 2010 and early 2019, the FDA determined that, between the poison control centers and the FDA, there were a total of 35 reported cases of seizures mentioning use of e-cigarettes within that timeframe.
Why is the FDA seeking more information about seizures following e-cigarette use?
The FDA is seeking more information about seizures following e-cigarette use to identify common risk factors and understand if any e-cigarette product attributes such as nicotine content or formulation may contribute to seizures.
How do you know if you have a seizure?
Other possible signs of seizures include a lapse in awareness or consciousness, which may look like a person is staring blankly into space for a few seconds or suddenly stops moving. The person may or may not fall down. Most seizures end in a few seconds or minutes, and the person may seem fine, sleepy, confused or have a headache afterwards.
What are the symptoms of a tobacco use?
Whether other tobacco products, medications, supplements or other substances were used. Whether there were any other symptoms (i.e., nausea, vomiting) or warning right before the adverse experience, such as change in the user’s behavior, alertness, vision or hearing.
Does the FDA have information on e-cigarettes?
Most of the self-reported data that the FDA has received does not contain any specific brand or sub-brand information about the e-cigarette. While detailed information is currently limited, the FDA is alerting the public to this important and potentially serious health issue. Healthcare providers should be aware that seizures may be associated ...
Do e-cigarettes have high nicotine levels?
Parents, teachers, and other concerned adults should be aware that many youth are using e-cigarettes that closely resemble a USB flash drive, have high levels of nicotine and emissions that are hard to see.
What Causes Seizures?
If you have multiple seizures within a day, or another short period of time then you will be diagnosed with epilepsy. Epileptic seizures are caused by the condition itself, but you don’t need to have epilepsy to have a seizure.
How long after marijuana use do you get a seizure?
Seizures have been reported as occurring after a few puffs or up to one day after use.
What is the lightest seizure?
These actually happen to be the most severe form of seizure and the lightest form could simply be someone staring off into space for a minute without responding or even just having a sudden change in emotions, or other senses. (taste, touch, smell, etc)
What is a seizure?
According to their definition, “a seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain. It can cause changes in your behavior, movements or feelings, and in levels of consciousness.”. There are MANY different types of seizures other than the one we all hold a picture of in our mind.
Is nicotine a chemical in e-juice?
Although nicotine has been studied quite a bit, there are other chemicals lurking in e-juice that have been studied much less, especially in terms of what happens when inhaling these substances rather than simply ingesting them:
Does nicotine increase the chance of a seizure?
Consuming nicotine (like consuming nearly any psychoactive drug) does increase your chance of having a seizure. (slightly)
Can a seizure happen after a stroke?
Seizures can happen after a stroke, a closed head injury, an infection such as meningitis or another illness. Many times, though, the cause of a seizure is unknown.“.
Is it safe to smoke e-cigarettes?
E -cigarettes are often thought of as a less dangerous alternative to cigarettes, since they contain fewer lung-cancer-causing chemicals. But preliminary research has also shown health risks associated with nicotine-rich e-cigarettes, including a higher probability of heart and lung problems.
Can e-cigarettes cause seizures?
It’s not clear how e-cigarettes could be causing seizures, but it’s possible that nicotine poisoning is a factor, the statement says. Liquid nicotine, like that used in e-cigarettes, can be toxic when swallowed or absorbed through the skin, according to the National Capital Poison Center and the American Academy of Pediatrics, potentially resulting in seizures or death.
Is vaping a health risk?
Now, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting Americans to a new potential health risk. Using e-cigarettes, also known as vaping, may be associated with seizures, especially among young people, the FDA announced Wednesday.
Can vaping cause seizures?
It’s possible, though not proven, that vaping liquid nicotine may also lead to seizures under some circumstances , the FDA says. The agency also pointed out that some of the seizures occurred in people with a history of seizure disorders, or who were also using other substances.
