Inhalant Misuse: From Glue to Galaxy Gas Podcast Por capa

Inhalant Misuse: From Glue to Galaxy Gas

Inhalant Misuse: From Glue to Galaxy Gas

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 In this episode of PEM Currents: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast, we explore the complex and often underrecognized issue of inhalant misuse. From the early days of glue sniffing to the recent rise of nitrous oxide misuse, fueled by brands like Galaxy Gas and viral trends on TikTok and Instagram, inhalant misuse has evolved into a growing concern among adolescents. We’ll dive into the clinical presentations, including acute and chronic symptoms, the dangers of “sudden sniffing death,” and the specific risks associated with nitrites, hydrocarbons, and nitrous oxide. Learn how to recognize and manage cases in the emergency department, ask the right questions to uncover inhalant use, and provide critical resources for prevention and support. Whether you’re a seasoned pediatrician or new to emergency medicine, this episode offers essential insights into tackling this hidden epidemic. Learning Objectives By the end of this episode, listeners will be able to: Recognize the clinical signs and symptoms of inhalant misuse, including acute intoxication and long-term complications.Differentiate between the risks and toxic effects associated with specific inhalants, such as hydrocarbons, nitrites, and nitrous oxide.Formulate effective strategies for identifying, managing, and preventing inhalant misuse in pediatric patients. Connect with Brad Sobolewski PEMBlog: PEMBlog.com Blue Sky: @bradsobo X (Twitter): @PEMTweets Instagram: Brad Sobolewski Mastodon: @bradsobo References Perry H, Burns MM. Inhalant misuse in children and adolescents. UpToDate. Ganetsky M (ed). Updated February 26, 2024. Accessed January 13, 2025. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/inhalant-misuse-in-children-and-adolescents Hogge RL, Spiller HA, Kistamgari S, et al. Inhalant misuse reported to America’s Poison Centers, 2001-2021. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2023; 61:453. Marcus E. The next drug epidemic is blue raspberry flavored: How Galaxy Gas became synonymous with the country’s burgeoning addiction to gas. Intelligencer. Published January 6, 2025. Accessed January 13, 2025. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/galaxy-gas-flavored-nitrous-oxide-drug-epidemic.html Transcript Note: This transcript was partially completed with the use of the Descript AI  Welcome to PEMCurrents, the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast. As always, I’m your host, Brad Sobolewski, and today we’re diving into an important topic, inhalant misuse, with a special focus on nitrous oxide. Welcome Recently, there’s been a concerning rise in recreational use of nitrous oxide, often referred to as Galaxy Gas, which is actually a brand name, which has become synonymous with flavored nitrous oxide products. Even as that brand, Galaxy Gas, is being phased out of the market, its legacy persists, fueled in part by its viral presence on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. So, this episode is going to break down the symptoms, clinical presentations, and management of inhalant misuse in children and adolescents with a specific eye on how these trends are shaping a new wave of cases presenting to the ED across the globe. So, what are inhalants? Well, these are volatile substances that you’re not meant to breathe in. They produce vapors, which, when you inhale them, cause psychoactive effects. They include everyday household items like glue, paint thinner, and gasoline, as well as recreational substances such as nitrous oxide, often referred to as whippets or galaxy gas. Interestingly, when these are sold, either online or in physical stores, they’re marketed As additives to make your own whipped cream at home. The people that sell them in stores are told to specifically not refer to them as whippets or to refer to them as a drug. Oh no, they’re only for cooking. The customers and the people selling them know otherwise. Anyway, the recreational use of nitrous or whippets, it’s been around since the late 18th century, uh, when it was used in laughing gas parties among the immigrants. English elite. Fast forward to today, and nitrous remains one of the most commonly misused inhalants. It’s evolved from its medical and industrial applications to a recreational substance with a significant cultural footprint. And let’s face it, the prevalence of this inhalant misuse is concerning. In the US, about 11 percent of high school students have used inhalants at least once. And what’s striking is that inhalant use peaks in younger adolescents, particularly those in like 7th through 9th grades, middle schoolers. making it one of the earliest substances that are misused among young people. So, these inhalants are often used through sniffing, huffing, or bagging. Sniffing involves inhaling the fumes directly from the container. Huffing uses a cloth soaked with the substance. And bagging, or perhaps ballooning, involves inhaling fumes from a bag or balloon placed over the nose and mouth. So you decant the substance from the canister into a ...
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