According to the patient's family, when admitted to the hospital, he had abdominal pain, vomiting, sweating, then a foaming mouth, convulsive limbs and convulsions. The patient was taken to the Poison Control Center - Bach Mai Hospital for emergency treatment.
Through investigation, it is known that this 15-year-old teenager has a history of smoking e-cigarettes for more than a year. Recently, through social networks, I tried a new type of electronic cigarette, containing marijuana essential oil. From the first use, he showed signs of nausea, dizziness, and lumpy limbs.
According to the patient, although e-cigarettes have been banned from circulation, the sale and purchase still takes place openly online. Instead of transacting directly at stores as before, now buyers only need to contact online platforms to easily place orders, including those containing marijuana essential oil.
Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen - Director of the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital - said that through examination and testing results, the patient was determined to have typical serotonin syndrome caused by stimulants in e-cigarettes. Clinical manifestations include perception disorders, sweating and seizures.
Notably, after regaining consciousness, the patient appeared to be completely normal in communication and initial examination, causing the family and doctors to think that he could be discharged from the hospital. However, due to concerns about the complex nature of e-cigarettes, doctors conducted in-depth examinations and discovered many alarming lesions and disorders.
Test results showed that the patient had mild kidney failure (creatinin 126 μmol/L, while the normal level was below 105 μmol/L), an ultrasound recorded an increase in lung pressure of 35 mmHg (normal rest period is 15-20 mmHg) and left diaphragmatic dilation.
resous images from the brain showed damage to both sides of the white matter. Psychological tests also discovered that the patient had signs of depression, personalitylitylity loss, suspected illness disorder, panic, anxiety, mental weakness, paralysis and excitement.
Although drug testing with a rapid test in urine to find common drugs was negative. However, the patient's tobacco essential oil sample was tested and discovered to contain 5F-ADB, a new generation synthetic drug, with strong effects on the nerves, mind, cardiovascular system... and toxicity to the body that is not fully known to humans.
After 10 days of treatment at the Poison Control Center, the patient was transferred to the Institute of Mental Health to continue treatment for mental disorders.
Currently, although Vietnam has banned the production, trading, import, storage, transportation, and use of electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, etc., due to no clear sanctions, the number of users has decreased but not significantly.
In addition to the effects of Nicotine, users may face the risk of poisoning when using electronic cigarettes containing drugs.
The Ministry of Health has submitted to the Government a fine of 3-5 million VND for the act of containing and using electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and new generation cigarettes; Fines of 5-10 million VND for the act of knowingly using electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and other new generation cigarettes at locations under their ownership or managed by themselves without preventing or reporting to competent authorities for handling.
