LOUIS, Mo. — A man in his mid-forties succumbed to a vaping-related respiratory illness in Missouri. The passing of that victim marks the eighth person to die from vaping in the U.S. and is the first person to die in Missouri from the disease. The man lost his battle while being treated in Mercy Hospital, […]
Eighth Person Dies from Vaping Illness
LOUIS, Mo. — A man in his mid-forties succumbed to a vaping-related respiratory illness in Missouri. The passing of that victim marks the eighth person to die from vaping in the U.S. and is the first person to die in Missouri from the disease. The man lost his battle while being treated in Mercy Hospital, which is located in St. Louis. The man reportedly had normal lung functions until he began vaping in May of 2019 according to a press release published by the Department of Health and Senior Services in Missouri. The man had been sick for about two weeks before he died.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, or DHSS for short, stated that they are confident the man who died succumbed to a vaping-related illness. The DHSS took tissue samples of the man’s lungs and confirmed their suspicions based on the results of the tests. Remarkably, the man who died had no history of lung illnesses. However, his doctors said that he started vaping to combat chronic pain issues. The doctors did not say if they believe the man used THC-infused vaping products.
The man who died initially developed mild symptoms of respiratory problems, but soon those problems grew more substantial. The man’s health rapidly declined, and he was in acute respiratory distress within days. The doctors placed him on a particular ventilation machine in an effort to stave off death with the hope that the man’s lungs would begin to heal. Sadly, that did not happen.
The doctors at Mercy said that they do not know how quickly acute respiratory distress can progress because of numerous factors, including the individual’s health. Doctors said that the man died because his lungs could not exchange gases, which ultimately leads to heart failure and then cardiac arrest.
The DHSS said that at least 22 people throughout the state of Missouri experienced illnesses that mimic vaping-related lung disease. They said the eight of those cases, including the fatality, were confirmed vaping-related lung illnesses.
