VAPI: How Dangerous is it??

The CDC has confirmed the official name of the vaping sickness to be Vaping-Associated Pulmonary Injury (VAPI) which has sickened patients across the country. The sickness started in the state of Wisconsin this past spring. Health experts warn the public that VAPI often presents as common pneumonia, however, it is not and antibiotics won’t clear it up.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported, that 805 confirmed and probable cases of lung injury “associated with the use of e-cigarette or vaping products” in 48 states. Since the reports started t flood in there have been at least 12 confirmed deaths across the US linked directly to vaping. 

Health experts claim that the most common symptoms of VAPI—shortness of breath, dry cough, tiredness, chest pain, and coughing up blood—can often be found in other respiratory diseases like pneumonia. This makes it very difficult for doctors to correctly diagnose and treat. The one thing that appears to treat the condition is multiple rounds of steroid treatments given over several weeks. 

What are the most common symptoms of VAPI?

According to a full report given by the CDC:

• Shortness of breath
• Nonproductive cough
• Pleuritic chest pain 
• Rapid heartbeat (regular or irregular)
• Fever
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Gastrointestinal distress: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea
• Hypoxemia (abnormally low blood-oxygen level)
• Acute or subacute respiratory failure 

One of the main things to look out for his hypoxia, which is not enough oxygen in the blood. The reason this happens is the lungs are failing to transfer oxygen to the bloodstream. When one is experiencing hypoxia, they will feel tired, nauseous, sick and dizzy. Things that were once like second nature, walking up the stairs, walking the dog, etc become impossible.

According to experts, people are arriving at the hospital with blood oxygen levels as low as 35% that they should be dead. “Bronchiolitis obliterans” is the term professionals use when they describe the damage done by vaping. When this occurs, chemically the lung’s tiniest airways, the bronchioles results in the obstruction of oxygen into the body. 

VAPI patients experience Fever, night sweats, possibly even weight loss which is all consistent with pneumonia symptoms which is why many health professionals have misdiagnosed their patients. VAPI not infectious disease-related.