As per doctors, the practice of inhaling or huffing can be life-threatening. If taken in large amounts can result in a variety of dangerous situations, including blackouts, breathing difficulties, and irregular heart rhythms. Recently, a 12-year-old boy suffered a deadly cardiac arrest after inhaling toxic fumes from a can of antiperspirant, after following a social media craze - 'chroming'.
In this dangerous trend, individuals inhale toxic fumes from deodorant cans, hairspray, and nail polish remover, which can have devastating effects. As per doctors, the practice of inhaling or huffing can be life-threatening. If taken in large amounts can result in a variety of dangerous situations, including blackouts, breathing difficulties, and irregular heart rhythms.
How Chroming Can Be Fatal Commenting on how it can lead to cardiac arrest, Dr Kumar Kenchappa, Consultant – Interventional Cardiologist at Manipal Hospital Hebbal, said, "The hydrocarbons in these inhalants easily cross both the blood-air and blood-brain barriers, leading to significant alterations in metabolic activities, particularly within the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Inhaling these volatile substances has been linked to cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death for over 40 years. This phenomenon, known as Sudden Sniffing Death, results from the heart becoming overly sensitive to adrenergic stimulation, causing myocardial dysfunction (decreased heart muscle contraction), coronary spasms, and arrhythmias.