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Children's Hospital of Wisconsin has reported eight cases of hospitalized teenagers with damaged lungs suspected to be from vaping.
In each case, the teens had seriously damaged lungs and all reported vaping in the weeks and months prior to being hospitalized.
"With the increase in use of e-cigarettes and vaping, parents and teens need to be aware of the potential danger," said Children's Hospital in a press release. "E-cigarette cartridges can contain toxic chemicals that have been shown to damage lungs. Because these products are still new, the long-term effects of use are not fully understood."
Patients reported symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, cough and weight loss prior to being hospitalized.
Children's Hospital said some of the teens needed assistance in order to breathe, while others have shown improvement after treatment.
Long-term effects are not known at this time, but it is believed that continued exposure to vaping chemicals could lead to more serious health issues such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This disease is a permanent condition in which lungs are less effective at transporting oxygen.
The hospital says the exact cause of the hospitalizations is not known, but the number of patients in such a short time frame is "concerning."
This story was originally written by Tess Klein for TMJ-TV .
