Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center at Bach Mai Hospital, a major general facility in Hanoi, reported earlier this week that the patient was transferred from a lower-level facility in critical condition, requiring immediate mechanical ventilation and sedation.
Medical staff diagnosed the student with acute poisoning linked to e-cigarette use. The patient’s condition deteriorated rapidly; just over a day after being weaned off the ventilator and regaining consciousness, he developed severe kidney failure.
Three days after admission, the young man was able to communicate, but his kidney function remained severely impaired. He also exhibited significant mental health symptoms, including anxiety, extreme stress, and memory loss. As the patient did not have the device with him, doctors were unable to identify the specific toxin responsible.
“In the past, most e-cigarette poisoning cases only caused brain damage, but recently we have seen many cases with severe kidney complications,” Dr. Nguyen noted.
Vaping devices that patients bring to the Poison Control Center at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi. Photo by Nhu Loan |
Currently, there is no specific antidote for the synthetic chemicals often found in e-cigarette liquids. Treatment primarily focuses on symptomatic care, including respiratory and circulatory support, non-specific detoxification, and correcting metabolic imbalances.
The long-term prognosis for such cases is concerning. Many patients suffer lingering effects after discharge, such as memory loss, reduced concentration, and behavioral disorders resulting from brain damage.
Medical experts warn that e-cigarettes, or vapes, are becoming a critical health threat as reports of poisoning and lung injury rise. Of particular concern is the increasing use of vapes to deliver synthetic drugs.
Recent tests on vape liquids have detected various dangerous banned substances, including MDMB-BUTINACA, ADB-BUTINACA, synthetic cannabis, and other new-generation psychoactive compounds.
These products often contain thousands of toxic chemicals and high concentrations of nicotine, frequently in salt form to mask harshness, allowing users to inhale massive doses without realizing the danger.
Doctors emphasize that the risks of vaping now extend beyond those of traditional smoking, causing cancer, cardiovascular damage, and severe pneumonia not only in users but also in those exposed to secondhand vapor, particularly children and pregnant women.
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