Health Experts Issue Warning Over Recreational Nitrous Oxide Use
Health experts have issued a warning over the use of nitrous oxide, known colloquially as ‘laughing gas’ and ‘hippie crack’.
In recent years, there has been a surge in the popularity of inhaling nitrous oxide, especially among young people, and experts are worried that people are putting their health at risk and assuming that what they are doing is safe. Nitrous oxide is a gas commonly used to sedate nervous patients during dental procedures.
Paediatricians are seeing a growing number of people suffering from potentially serious symptoms due to the use of nitrous oxide and statistics show that there were 17 deaths caused by nitrous oxide between 2006 and 2012. In the last two years, the number of people using nitrous oxide, a so-called legal high, has also increased, so figures may be even more alarming.
Dr Paul Seddon, consultant in respiratory medicine and neonatal paediatrician at Brighton’s Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital, warned that inhaling laughing gas carries serious risks for children’s health. Dr Seddon conducted research after seeing a patient admitted with unexplained sudden chest pain, which was followed by sharp pain when breathing (pneumothorax). At the time, he was confused at what had caused the pneumothorax, but later the patient admitted she had inhaled laughing gas while at a festival. Inhaling the gas can also cause blood pressure to plunge, resulting in dizziness, fainting and even loss of consciousness.
Dr Seddon’s study found that around 7.6% of young people aged 16-24 years old in England and Wales had used the gas and statistics indicate that this is a growing trend. Balloons are widely available in shops that sell various types of legal high.
Although the short-term effects of inhaling gas are fairly well-documented, little is known about the effects of long-term or prolonged use and there are concerns about damage to the nervous system and long-term complications related to blood pressure.
Dr Seddon is set to present the findings of his study at the annual conference of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health this week.
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