The Affected complain of chest pain, shortness of breath and vomiting: a Previously unknown lung disease to give Physicians in the United States puzzles. The only known Commonality of the Affected the use of E-cigarettes. Within one week of the documented cases have doubled to almost 200. Several patients had to be artificially ventilated. If your lungs to regenerate completely, is unclear. A Patient died.
What is the cause known?
US authorities are investigating whether the E-cigarettes or used e-Liquids could have caused the symptoms. In people who had used different products. Many, however, indicated to have the THC-containing Oils with the E-cigarette is consumed, for example, are sold through Online Shops. The psychoactive ingredient in Cannabis. U.S. authorities do not exclude, however, that even the established products hazards may arise.
What are the diseases?
First, similar symptoms as with an infections usually occur. The usual therapy such as, for example, with antibiotics, however, remains mostly unsuccessfully. In addition, injuries can occur to the lungs, suggestive of burns. Also allergic reactions to be discussed as a cause. According to the American Doctors, the therapy with steroids, is currently the most promising. (More about the E-cigarettes Boom among teenagers in the United States, you can read here.)
Why the complaints now?
The health authorities are not able to say when the problems occurred for the first time, or how many people are actually affected. Experts anticipate a high number of unreported cases. The authorities had become active after several possible lung damage were reported in connection with E-cigarettes. Since then, you gather all suspected.
“The Problem is that we don’t know what exactly the user inhale through the device, of which there are 500 to 600 different,” said the Pulmonologe John Holcomb from Texas to the New York Times. Add to that an uncontrolled black market. Counterfeiters to use, for example, empty containers of established suppliers and filling them with their own, non-approved mixes.
How is the Situation in Germany?
So far, in this country, no comparable cases are known. In General, other guidelines, which relates to the contents of E-cigarettes, are for the EU. So E-cigarettes included in the USA up to four times as much nicotine.
Lungs doctors do not exclude, however, that in Germany, too, similar cases could occur. “The Doctors talked about the disease, its symptoms are described and related to E-cigarettes manufactured,” said Robert Loddenkemper by the German society for pneumology to the “Focus”. “There’s many colleagues that have patients with similar complaints will now be noisy.”
E-cigarettes are worse than Smoking?
Because E-cigarettes are vaporized, the ingredients, the result is significantly fewer cancer-causing substances than conventional cigarette smoke. According to the British health authority “Public Health England” are E-cigarettes about 95 percent less harmful than Fags. (Why E-cigarettes are spoken in Germany is bad, read here).
Institutions such as the Federal Institute for risk assessment (BfR) to confirm, the selected main pollutants of tobacco smoke – including cancer are reduced substances – significantly. However, it is still unclear how consumption affects long-term, to ensure E-cigarettes are not yet long enough on the market. The first was developed in 2003 in China.
In addition, the various flavouring substances are authorised in the Liquids often only for food. This is not to say, it hurts to swallow. What effect they produce, when inhaled, will not be examined in the rule.
In the vapor of some E-cigarettes were detected in addition, harmful substances such as formaldehyde, Acetaldehyde or Acrolein, especially if the devices were running hot, for example, because the Liquid was running low.
Doctors recommend the use of E-cigarettes for Smoking cessation.