Presentation
They have been present in Europe since 2007 but are now becoming a burgeoning presence in American hospitals. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Gastrointestinal
- Constipation
Opioids reduce the perception of pain but can also produce drowsiness, mental confusion, euphoria, nausea, constipation, and—depending upon the amount of drug taken—can depress respiration. Opioid misuse represents a unique challenge. [samhsa.gov]
An unnaturally slow digestive system can lead to chronic constipation and colon cancer, while an impaired respiratory system leaves individuals at a higher risk for respiratory infections. [sunrisehouse.com]
The drug also appears to be safe, although some participants in the trial developed minor side effects such as constipation and nausea. [newscientist.com]
[…] appetite Manic behavior Mood swings Panic attacks Paranoia Restlessness Tachycardia (a rapid heart rate) Tremors or body shakes Weight loss In addition, a dry mouth, unpleasant taste in the mouth, or gastrointestinal disturbances ( nausea, diarrhea, or constipation [drugs.com]
Cardiovascular
- Hypertension
Hypertension 2004 ; 43 : 932 – 5. 4. Impact of dietary and lifestyle factors on the prevalence of hypertension in Western populations. Eur J Public Health 2004 ; 14 : 235 – 9. 5. [doi.org]
Since estradiol has two main receptors (ERα and ERβ) we will discuss their relative implications, and present new data showing a key role for ERα to prevent the hypertension induced by intermittent hypoxia. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
May cause hypertension. • Psychiatric disorders: Long-term use may cause anxiety and symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia. [web.archive.org]
- Tachycardia
Stimulant medication may mimic the tachycardia of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Tachycardia, blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, and kidney damage are just some of the possible risks of taking it. [addictionresource.net]
CNS stimulants have been used for the following conditions: Attention deficit disorder Chronic lethargy Morbid obesity unresponsive to other treatments Narcolepsy Neonatal apnea Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome Prolonged depression that is unresponsive [drugs.com]
- Orthostatic Hypotension
hypotension, anesthesia-induced hypotension Use: Unlabeled/Investigational Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) Pregnancy Risk Factor C Lactation Enters breast milk/not recommended Contraindications Hypersensitivity to ephedrine or any component [web.archive.org]
- Irregular Heart Rhythm
They should not be combined with antidepressants or over-the-counter decongestants, as this combination can lead to severely high blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms. [talbottcampus.com]
Musculoskeletal
- Muscle Cramp
Some of the common signs that indicate that someone may have overdosed on stimulants include: Fast breathing and heartbeat Very large pupils Chest pain Muscle cramping Seizures or shaking High fever Dizziness Unconsciousness Convulsions Seizures Cardiovascular [harboroaks.com]
cramping After Ecstasy’s immediate effects have worn off, some people, especially heavy users, complain of: Anxiety Restlessness Irritability Sadness Lack of appetite Less interest in or pleasure from sex Problems sleeping Aggressive behavior Difficulty [narconon.org]
Skin
- Flushing
Physical side effects include dizziness, tremor, headache, flushed skin, chest pains with palpitations, excessive sweating, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. [pamf.org]
Physical Signs of Stimulant Abuse Include: Increased alertness Weight loss Panic attacks Compulsive behavior Dizziness Flushed skin Excessive sweating Restlessness Inhibitory control Vomiting Aggression Chronic sleep problems Loss of coordination Loss [recoveryconnection.com]
Extremely high doses can cause users to flush or become pale, have irregular heartbeat, tremors, loss of coordination, and even physical collapse. [addictionrecov.org]
The following signs and symptoms have been associated with stimulant overdose: Flushing of the skin Excessive sweating Irregular breathing Cramping Feelings of panic Heart palpitations Hypertension Vomiting Chest pain Cardiac arrest Seizures Stroke [whitedeerrun.com]
Dry mouth Rapid breathing Headache Increased talkativeness Nausea Palpitations Tremors High body temperature Paranoia Cardiovascular system failure Ulcers Difficulty breathing Dizziness Flush or pale skin Unusual tiredness or weakness Pounding heartbeat [drugrehab.com]
- Increased Sweating
Report excessive nervousness or excitation, inability to sleep, facial flushing, pounding heartbeat, muscle tremors or weakness, chest pain or palpitations, bronchial irritation or coughing, or increased sweating. [web.archive.org]
Eyes
- Blurred Vision
Often times you may experience insomnia, dizziness and blurred vision. However, amphetamines are considered a “controlled substance” due to the extremely high chances of one being addicted or dependent upon the drug. [treatment4addiction.com]
[…] pep pills, copilots, bumble bees, Benzedrine, Dexedrine, footballs, biphetamine Orally, injected, snorted, or smoked Addiction, Irritability, Anxiety, Increased blood pressure, Paranoia/psychosis, Depression, Aggression, Convulsions, Dilated pupils & blurred [web.archive.org]
Other side effects include anxiety, blurred vision, sleeplessness, and dizziness. Abuse of amphetamines can cause irregular heartbeat and even physical collapse. [well.com]
In addition the user, may experience dry mouth, sweating, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, sleeplessness, and anxiety. [addictionrecov.org]
- Diplopia
We are reporting 2 cases of definite brainstem dysfunction and 5 cases of transient diplopia secondary to IV abuse of Benzedrex®. [doi.org]
Psychiatrical
- Euphoria
Substances of Abuse - Brief Profiles Crack Also known as: Crack, "Crack cocaine", Freebase rocks, Rock You probably know why crack is abused - Quick high Power Euphoria But did you know that - Crack is almost instantly addictive. [web.archive.org]
These generally include but are not limited to: Focus enhancement Physical euphoria Cognitive euphoria Appetite suppression Memory enhancement Analysis enhancement Teeth grinding Increased music appreciation Ego inflation Pupil dilation Time distortion [psychonautwiki.org]
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Street Names: Ecstasy, Molly, E, X, XTC, ADAM, Rolls, Pills, Love Drug, Go Methods of Use: taken orally in tablet form Short-term Effects: euphoria, muscle tension, nausea, heat exhaustion, fainting, chills, sweating [stimulants.com]
They cause extreme levels of energy, mind racing, heart racing, elevated mood and a sense of euphoria. Side effects include loss of appetite, insomnia, and weight loss. [treatment4addiction.com]
However, because stimulants also produce a sense of well-being and euphoria, the drugs are often targets of abuse. [addictioncampuses.com]
- Anhedonia
Anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure). Irritability. Anxiety and agitation. Excessive sleep. Intense hunger. Drug cravings. [drugabuse.com]
Neurologic
- Hyperactivity
Teenage status of hyperactive and non-hyperactive learning disabled boys. Am J Orthopsychiatry 1977; 47: 577–96 PubMed CrossRef Google Scholar 47. Riddle KD, Rapoport JL. A 2-year follow-up of 72 hyperactive boys. [doi.org]
Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) About 2%-6% of adults have ADHD, a common behavioral problem. Symptoms include impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention.... [medicinenet.com]
Abstract Amphetamine or methylphenidate are first-line options for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
- Seizure
First responders and emergency room doctors try to treat the overdose with the intent of restoring blood flow to the heart and stopping the seizure with care or with medications if necessary. [drugabuse.gov]
Taking high dosages of stimulants can result in convulsions, seizures, and possibly even death. Long-Term Health Effects of Stimulants With prolonged stimulant use, your tolerance to the drug builds up. [mazzittiandsullivan.com]
Reduction in seizure threshold is a theoretical pharmacologic effect of stimulants. Stimulants should be used with caution in children with known seizure disorders. [utmb.edu]
Short-term Effects: a short high that lasts about 5 to 10 minutes, increased breathing, “intense euphoria,” cravings, depression, decreased appetite, aggression, paranoia, addiction ( CESAR ) Long-term Effects: addiction, delirium, psychosis, brain seizures [stimulants.com]
Higher doses may result in: anxiety tension increased body temperature nausea tremor seizures coma death. [adf.org.au]
- Insomnia
Side effects include loss of appetite, insomnia, and weight loss. While under the influence of these controlled substances you may become overly sexually active and often times have unprotected sex. [treatment4addiction.com]
Consult your doctor before taking any herbal supplements to treat insomnia. [medicinenet.com]
[…] powder into the nasal passages”), intravenous injection, ingested orally, rubbed on the gums, sprinkled on cigarettes or marijuana joints Short-term Effects: a short high that lasts about 15 to 30 minutes, euphoria, anxiety, paranoia, restlessness, insomnia [stimulants.com]
Amphetamines can also affect the central nervous system and cause coma, seizures, confusion, tremors, dizziness and insomnia. [newhealthadvisor.com]
Ice causes a very jittery high, along with anxiety, insomnia, sometimes paranoia. [web.archive.org]
- Tremor
Arm-drop of arm position was indicated by the arm longitudinal rotation axis (ALoRA), and tremor was indicated by the overall vector of dynamic body acceleration (VeDBA). [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Abdominal cramps Psychological Signs of Stimulant Abuse Include: Poor judgment Visual and auditory hallucinations Loss of coordination Loss of verbal memory Tremors Suspiciousness Grandiosity Delusions Depression Stimulant psychosis Chronic stimulant [recoveryconnection.com]
Ice can cause convulsions, heart irregularities, high blood pressure, depression, restlessness, tremors, severe fatigue. An overdose can cause coma and death When you stop using ice you may experience a deep depression. [web.archive.org]
Users may experience tremors, vertigo, muscle twitches, paranoia, or with repeated doses a toxic reaction closely resembling amphetamine poisoning. Some users report feeling restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. [yessafechoices.org]
- Agitation
Psychological symptoms of overamping, or “mental distress” could include: Extreme Anxiety Panic Extreme Paranoia Hallucinations Extreme Agitation Increased Aggressiveness Agitation, restlessness, irritability Hypervigilance (being super aware of your [harmreduction.org]
[…] rise to symptoms suggestive of intoxication, including abnormally rapid heart rate, dilatation of the pupils, elevated blood pressure, overactive reflexes, sweating, chills, nausea or vomiting, and abnormal behaviour such as fighting, hypervigilance, agitation [greenfacts.org]
Stimulant Withdrawal When a person first stops using stimulants, they may feel sad, agitated, and have intense cravings. [bluffsrehab.com]
Withdrawal Withdrawal symptoms include agitation, abdominal cramps, nausea, severe emotional depression, exhaustion, insomnia, and anxiety. [shcs.ucdavis.edu]
Psychological effects include agitation, hostility, panic, aggression, and suicidal or homicidal tendencies. Paranoia, sometimes accompanied by both auditory and visual hallucinations, may also occur. [pamf.org]
Treatment
[…] of treatment condition. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Prognosis
Stimulant Addiction Treatment and Prognosis Medically monitored detoxification (detox) is the initial step in successful treatment of stimulant use disorder. [altamirarecovery.com]
Merkel F, Pullig O, Marx M, Netzer KO, Weber M: Course and prognosis of anti-basement membrane antibody (anti-GBM-ab)-mediated disease: Report of 35 cases. Nephrol Dial Transpl 1994;9:372–376. [doi.org]
Etiology
Amphetamine is indicated for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) as well as for the treatment of central nervous system disorders such as narcolepsy. 1 ADHD is a complex disorder associated with the substantial heterogeneity in etiology [drugbank.ca]
Jerome, Gordon, and Hustler (1994) evaluated Canadian and U.S. teachers' knowledge of concepts related to ADHD and found that although teachers had little training regarding ADHD, they did well on knowledge-based questions regarding etiology and educational [ldonline.org]
Epidemiology
Examination of a drug's abuse potential at multiple levels of analysis (molecular/cellular action, whole-organism behavior, epidemiological data) is an essential component to regulating controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Several epidemiological studies on this issue have been published since then, warranting an update of the insights on this topic. [doi.org]
In the two recently-completed epidemiologic studies, data were analyzed from over 440,000 adults aged 25-64 years, including over 150,000 adults treated with medications for ADHD. [fda.gov]
Pathophysiology
Cocaine: pathophysiology and clinical toxicology. Heart Lung. 1997 Nov–Dec;26(6):466–483. quiz 484-465. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 77. Qureshi AI, Suri MF, Guterman LR, Hopkins LN. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Revisiting the role of the prefrontal cortex in the pathophysiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. [doi.org]
Prevention
Many responding physicians do not regularly implement practices that may prevent stimulant misuse, and the majority thinks most prevention practices are not very effective. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Conclusions: Doping with CNS stimulants is a real public health problem and all sports authorities should participate in its prevention. Dissemination of information is essential to prevent doping in sport and to provide alternatives. [doi.org]