- At least 22 people in the US have been hospitalized for severe lung problems
- Most of the patients are teenagers or young adults
- There have been 12 cases in Wisconsin, six in Illinois and four in Minnesota
- The one clear thing they have in common is vaping nicotine or marijuana
- At least one patient had to be put in a medically induced coma
Full Answer
What is vaping and should you try it?
With vaping, a device (typically a vape pen or a mod — an enhanced vape pen — that may look like a flash drive) heats up a liquid (called vape juice or e-liquid) until it turns into a vapor that you inhale. “Vaping is a delivery system similar to a nebulizer, which people with asthma or other lung conditions may be familiar with,” says Broderick.
Can vaping cause lungs to collapse?
Smoking — and now vaping — are associated with an increased risk of bursting these blisters, leading to lung collapse. “At Johns Hopkins, we’re seeing a rash of collapsed lungs in younger people,” reports Broderick. “We always ask if they’ve been smoking, and they’ll often say, ‘No, I don’t smoke. But I do vape.’
How many people have been hospitalized with vaping-linked breathing problems?
22 people have been hospitalized with vaping-linked breathing problems. Doctors don't know why. It's unclear exactly what the patients — many of whom are young adults — had been inhaling or what type of devices they were using.
Why are so many people in the Midwest being hospitalized for vaping?
Doctors don't know why. It's unclear exactly what the patients — many of whom are young adults — had been inhaling or what type of devices they were using. Almost two dozen people in the Midwest have been hospitalized with severe breathing difficulties linked to vaping, and doctors aren't sure why.
Can you be hospitalized from vaping?
But it turns out smoking e-cigarettes -- commonly known as vaping -- has its own risks. In August 2019, the CDC began tracking cases of severe lung problems in people who vape. Thousands had lung damage that needed treatment in hospitals, and several died from the condition.
When should you go to the hospital for vaping?
If you are having trouble breathing or are very short of breath, consider going to the Emergency Department for immediate medical attention. There is no one test that diagnoses EVALI, so your doctor will examine you, ask about your vaping history and may order a chest X-ray or CT scan.
What injuries can you get from vaping?
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the international medical journal Tobacco Control, thousands of people have been injured from using vape products....Notable vape injuries include:Death.Lung injuries.Seizures.Strokes.Battery explosion injuries.
Can vaping be life threatening?
No, vaping is not safe as it has been shown to cause inflammation of the lungs. In fact, as Oct. 1, 2019, 1,080 patients have sought treatment for vaping-induced illnesses in the United States. Nearly 20 people have died in 15 states, and in 80 percent of those deaths, the person was under the age of 35.
Can my lungs recover from vaping?
Breathing in the harmful chemicals from vaping products can cause irreversible (cannot be cured) lung damage, lung disease and, in some cases, death.
How much vape is too much?
Even today, many high-profile sources list the toxic dose of nicotine (the LD50 – or the dose that will kill about half of people exposed) as between 30 and 60 mg. To put this in context of vaping, this would be about 4 ml of 12 mg/ml e-liquid. d.
Is vaping worse than smoking?
1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.
Why do teens vape?
Vaping among teens has recently skyrocketed, and many believe it is a safe activity. About 1 in 5 high school students vape, exposing them to nicotine, a highly addictive substance found in tobacco. Adults may use vaping to quit a nicotine addiction, but youth often start with vaping and graduate to cigarettes later.
How do you treat a vape lung?
What is the treatment for EVALI?Corticosteroids. A type of medication that reduces inflammation in the lungs and throughout the body.Supportive care. Patients may receive supplemental oxygen through a nasal cannula. ... Antibiotics. ... Antivirals.
How long does it take for vape to damage?
Exposure for just three days was enough to incur sufficient damage to their lungs, setting the stage for long-term chronic lung damage.
Does vaping make you lose weight?
Wrapping Up Vaping and Losing Weight Nicotine will increase your metabolism which can cause the body to burn fat, but this isn't a long-term solution for weight management. Quitting smoking cigarettes is associated with weight gain although vaping can help manage that weight gain and reduce it.
Can vaping make you sick?
Symptoms of vaping-related illness are very similar to symptoms that we see with illnesses such as pneumonia, cold, and flu. Symptoms could be a cough, shortness of breath, potentially difficulty breathing as well as nausea and vomiting. These symptoms can happen over a couple of days or they can appear quickly.
Can a doctor tell if you vape?
Medical tests can detect nicotine in people's urine, blood, saliva, hair, and nails. Nicotine is the addictive substance in tobacco, cigarettes, and vapes or e-cigarettes.
Can vaping cause brain damage?
Its use can be harmful to parts of the brain that control mood, learning, attention, and impulse control. Nicotine negatively affects how synapses—connections between brain cells—are formed. Many devices also produce vapor containing lead, which can cause brain damage.
Is it OK to vape once in a while?
The habit is putting them at risk for health consequences, and now, new research shows that nicotine might not be the only thing to blame. A report published today in the journal Radiology has found that non-nicotine vaping can harm your lungs even after just one use of an e-cigarette.
Is vaping worse than smoking?
1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.
What is a vape pen?
With vaping, a device (typically a vape pen or a mod — an enhanced vape pen — that may look like a flash drive) heats up a liquid ( called vape juice or e -liquid) until it turns into a vapor that you inhale. “Vaping is a delivery system similar to a nebulizer, which people with asthma or other lung conditions may be familiar with,” says Broderick. ...
What to do if your lung hurts?
What to Do If Your Lungs Hurt. If you smoke or vape, don’t brush off chest or lung pain as something that’s normal. If you have pain or other symptoms associated with breathing difficulties, such as shortness of breath and chronic cough, it’s important to see a doctor.
Is second hand vapor safe?
Secondhand Vapor Isn’t Safe Either. It’s a myth that secondhand emissions from e-cigarettes are harmless. Many people think the secondhand vapor is just water, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. The vapor emitted when someone exhales contains a variety of dangerous substances, which may include: Nicotine.
Is it safe to take vitamin E?
And, while it’s safe when taken orally as a supplement or used on the skin, it’s likely an irritant when inhaled. It’s been found in the lungs of people with severe, vaping-related damage.
Does vaping affect the lungs?
Instead of bathing lung tissue with a therapeutic mist, just as a nebulizer does, vaping coats lungs with potentially harmful chemicals. E-liquid concoctions usually include some mix of flavorings, aromatic additives and nicotine or THC (the chemical in marijuana that causes psychological effects), dissolved in an oily liquid base.
