A man from Missouri is reported to be the eighth person to die from a lung illness related to vaping. He was in his 40s with no prior lung diseases.
A Mysterious Death
The man died at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. He had began vaping because he had problems with chronic pain. He was using THC, which is the ingredient in cannabis, to manage the pain. He first experienced shortness of breath. The condition progressed rapidly and developed into acute respiratory distress syndrome.
According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, this condition doesn’t seem to be caused by an infection. It is more likely that the chemicals which are in the vaping product causes damage to the lungs. The agency advises anyone who begins experiencing symptoms of respiratory problems from vaping to get medical attention right away.
Details of the Illness
This is the eight death that has been confirmed to be related to vaping. The other seven have occurred in six difference states, including Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, California and Oregon. The number of cases of the illness being linked to vaping has gone up from 450 early in September to 530. They span across 38 states as well as the Virgin Islands.
The Missouri health department advises that teens, young adults and pregnant women along with those who are trying to stop smoking should not use e-cigarettes. Anyone who is trying to cut down on tobacco products should choose methods approved by the FDA.
Statistics show that 72 percent of the cases confirmed to be the mysterious vaping lung illness are men. About 67 percent are between the ages of 18 and 34 with 16 percent under the age of 18.
The majority of the patients start out with shortness of breath and progress to coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, fatigue and loss of weight. They are often diagnosed with pneumonia and many are placed on ventilators. Some have been placed in medically-induced comas.
Canada also reported the first instance of the illness. This person was a high school student, and they were able to recover.
While the majority of those becoming sick are young and healthy, most of the victims who have died from the disease have been middle-aged. The second victim was said to be middle-aged. The third victim was in Indiana and was elderly. The fourth person was from Minnesota and was 65 years old. Both the fifth and sixth victims were in their 50s with the Kansas person being a woman with a history of health issues.
The seventh victim was a 40-year-old male in California, the second victim of the state. While none of the deaths are of young adults or teens, they should also be wary of using these devices until the investigation reveals a definite cause of the illness. Many suspect that the illness results from using black market products. However, no official determination has been made because no common substance can be found in all of the cases.