[ad_1]
Health authorities in Kansas confirmed Tuesday the death of a resident, the sixth person who died in the United States following a serious respiratory disease related to vaping.
The woman was over 50 years old and had a history of health problems. However, doctors say that it is clear that steam has been the cause of its rapid deterioration.
"She had underlying medical problems, but nothing that could have predicted that less than a week after she started using electronic cigarettes, she developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and died," she said. said Dr. Lee Norman, secretary. for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, told NBC News.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, occurs when the lungs fill with fluid.
Although many patients across the country reached the end of adolescence, 20s or 30s, Norman said the death in Kansas was a reminder that seniors could be particularly vulnerable.
"This reminds us that the clinical outcomes of older people with pre-existing illness will probably be worse if they develop vaping problems," Norman said.
The Kansas woman had been one of six confirmed or under investigation cases in that state. This is a number predicted by Norman.
"I'm sure we'll see more," he says.
The other five vaping related deaths had previously been reported in Illinois, Indiana, Oregon, Minnesota and California.
State health services were aware of at least 478 confirmed or suspected cases Tuesday afternoon, compared with 450 cases reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week.
The CDC has recommended that people move away from vaping devices while investigators try to determine exactly what is behind the disease.
The Food and Drug Administration has tested 120 product samples and has not yet been able to identify a brand, ingredient or substance that can explain the disease.
Follow NBC HEALTH on Twitter & Facebook.
[ad_2]
Source link