🚠E-Cigarette Use Linked to Seizures: What Arkansas RTs Should Know
In April 2019, the FDA issued a safety communication alerting the public to reports of seizures following e-cigarette use, particularly among youth and young adults. This summary is based on an official safety communication from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), originally published here.
At that time:
- 35 seizure cases were reported between 2010 and early 2019 source
- By August 2019, the count had grown to 127 reports source
- However, researchers couldn’t confirm a direct causal link between e-cigarettes and seizures source
💡 Why This Matters to Arkansas RTs
- Seizures can result from high nicotine exposure, which may also occur in vaping, especially among youth
- Many cases involved first-time users, or combined nicotine with other substances source
- A majority of the early reports occurred within 30 minutes of vaping source
🔬 What the FDA Recommended
- Report any seizure events related to e-cigarette use via the FDA’s Safety Reporting Portal source
- Clinicians should ask about vaping history in patients presenting with seizures source
- Consider testing for cotinine levels, a nicotine metabolite, when evaluating such patients source
🔄 What We Know Now
- Nicotine toxicity has long been linked to seizures, even in small amounts if absorbed aggressively source
- A 2023 CDC review links vaping to neurological impacts, though direct seizure causation remains under investigation
- More adverse event reports mean stronger signals for ongoing FDA research
🧠What You Can Do
- Ask every patient with new-onset seizures about e-cigarette use
- Educate youth and parents on seizure risks and nicotine toxicity
- Report all vaping-related seizure events via the FDA Safety Reporting Portal
- Stay current—FDA continues monitoring and updating this safety concern
📎 Learn More
- FDA Safety Communication: Seizures reported following e-cigarette use. source
- FDA In-Brief Update: 127 seizure cases reported. source
- Time Coverage: FDA investigates possible link between vaping and seizures
🧩 Why It’s Vital for Arkansas RT
As patient-facing respiratory professionals, you are uniquely positioned to:
- Detect vaping-related health issues
- Provide prevention-minded patient education
- Support public health awareness through reporting efforts
