Abstract
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) were introduced into the US market in 2007 and
have quickly become a popular source of nicotine for many patients. They are designed
to simulate smoking by heating a nicotine-containing solution producing an aerosol
that the user inhales. The short- and long-term effects of e-cigarette use are still
unclear, but their use is increasing. Some acute effects of e-cigarettes on heart
rate, blood pressure, and airway resistance are reported. Although there are some
reports of improved cessation in a subset of users, there are also studies reporting
decreased cessation in dual users of regular and e-cigarettes. Additionally, there
is no current regulation of these devices, and this allows virtually anyone with a
form of online payment to obtain them.
Keywords
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: February 28, 2015
Footnotes
Funding: None.
Conflict of Interest: None of the authors have conflicts of interest.
Authorship: All authors have seen and approve the submitted study manuscript.
Identification
Copyright
© 2015 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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- Nicotine Lethal Dose: Ignorance or Counterfeit?The American Journal of MedicineVol. 128Issue 10
- PreviewOrellana-Barrios et al1 must be commended for the clear information they provide us on e-cigarettes to educate our patients. However, they stated “Nicotine…lethal dose ranges from 10-60 mg”1 without reference. Indeed, none exists, and searches can only retrieve circular and misleading references from dubious textbooks.2 More than 500 mg of oral nicotine is required to kill an adult.2 Moreover, ingestion cannot be massive because of incoercible vomiting.
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