Health & Fitness

VA Vaping Cases: 6 Patients Hospitalized With Severe Lung Illness

Virginia health officials said six people suffered severe lung illnesses after e-cigarette use or vaping, and were treated in hospitals.

In the last two months, the Virginia Department of Health has recorded 6 cases involving patients hospitalized after vaping.
In the last two months, the Virginia Department of Health has recorded 6 cases involving patients hospitalized after vaping. (Image via Shutterstock)

RICHMOND, VA — As more cases surface nationwide of e-cigarette users suffering serious lung ailments and President Trump urged that the use of the devices be curtailed to protect teens, Virginia health officials report that six patients have been hospitalized with severe lung illness associated with vaping. As of Sept. 5, a total of six Virginians were admitted to hospitals with shortness of breath, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

Patients report using e-cigarettes or vaping in the weeks or months before they became ill. Symptoms of vaping-associated respiratory illness include gradual onset of cough, shortness of breath, or fatigue that worsened over a period of days or weeks before admission to the hospital. Some patients have also reported mild to moderate gastrointestinal illness including vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue, state health officials said. The patients do not have clinical indications of infection and did not improve with antibiotics. Several of the reported cases have responded positively to steroid therapies.

To date, none of the cases in Virginia have been fatal. These cases are part of more than 450 reported incidents of vaping-related illness in 33 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Nationwide there have been six deaths confirmed.

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Many vaping products have been found to contain substances that can be toxic when inhaled and might not be listed on product packaging.

The CDC has issued an advisory on e-cigarettes, saying:

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  • The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.
  • Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.
  • E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine.
  • Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.
  • The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.

What are e-cigarettes?

  • E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air.
  • Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items.
  • The liquid used in e-cigarettes often contains nicotine and flavorings. This liquid is sometimes called "e-juice," "e-liquid," "vape juice," or "vape liquid."
  • Users inhale e-cigarette aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales it into the air.
  • E-cigarette devices can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.

The state encourages medical providers caring for patients with unexplained serious respiratory illness to ask about a history of recent e-cigarette use or vaping, and to report suspected cases to their local health department.

For free help to stop using these devices or any tobacco product, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.


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