Skip to main content
The Western Journal of Medicine logoLink to The Western Journal of Medicine
. 1990 Dec;153(6):625–628.

Methamphetamine. Stimulant of the 1990s?

R W Derlet 1, B Heischober 1
PMCID: PMC1002639  PMID: 2293467

Abstract

During the past several years, the use of a smokable form of methamphetamine hydrochloride called "ice" has increased rapidly. The heaviest use has occurred on the West Coast and in Hawaii. Many regional emergency departments treat more methamphetamine users than cocaine-intoxicated patients. The ease of synthesis from inexpensive and readily available chemicals makes possible the rampant abuse of a dangerous drug that can produce a euphoria similar to that induced by cocaine. Clinicians should be familiar with the medical effects and treatment of acute methamphetamine toxicity.

Full text

PDF
625

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Allcott J. V., 3rd, Barnhart R. A., Mooney L. A. Acute lead poisoning in two users of illicit methamphetamine. JAMA. 1987 Jul 24;258(4):510–511. doi: 10.1001/jama.1987.03400040108032. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bailey D. N., Shaw R. F. Cocaine- and methamphetamine-related deaths in San Diego County (1987): homicides and accidental overdoses. J Forensic Sci. 1989 Mar;34(2):407–422. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Beckett A. H., Rowland M. Urinary excretion kinetics of amphetamine in man. J Pharm Pharmacol. 1965 Oct;17(10):628–639. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-7158.1965.tb07575.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brown C., Osterloh J. Multiple severe complications from recreational ingestion of MDMA ('Ecstasy') JAMA. 1987 Aug 14;258(6):780–781. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Buchanan J. F., Brown C. R. 'Designer drugs'. A problem in clinical toxicology. Med Toxicol Adverse Drug Exp. 1988 Jan-Dec;3(1):1–17. doi: 10.1007/BF03259928. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Chynn K. Y. Acute subarachnoid hemorrhage. JAMA. 1975 Jul 7;233(1):55–56. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Conci F., D'Angelo V., Tampieri D., Vecchi G. Intracerebral hemorrhage and angiographic beading following amphetamine abuse. Ital J Neurol Sci. 1988 Feb;9(1):77–81. doi: 10.1007/BF02334412. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Derlet R. W., Albertson T. E. Diazepam in the prevention of seizures and death in cocaine-intoxicated rats. Ann Emerg Med. 1989 May;18(5):542–546. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(89)80840-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Derlet R. W., Albertson T. E. Emergency department presentation of cocaine intoxication. Ann Emerg Med. 1989 Feb;18(2):182–186. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(89)80111-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Derlet R. W., Albertson T. E., Rice P. Protection against d-amphetamine toxicity. Am J Emerg Med. 1990 Mar;8(2):105–108. doi: 10.1016/0735-6757(90)90194-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Derlet R. W., Albertson T. E., Rice P. The effect of haloperidol in cocaine and amphetamine intoxication. J Emerg Med. 1989 Nov-Dec;7(6):633–637. doi: 10.1016/0736-4679(89)90011-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Derlet R. W., Rice P., Horowitz B. Z., Lord R. V. Amphetamine toxicity: experience with 127 cases. J Emerg Med. 1989 Mar-Apr;7(2):157–161. doi: 10.1016/0736-4679(89)90263-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Dixon S. D. Effects of transplacental exposure to cocaine and methamphetamine on the neonate. West J Med. 1989 Apr;150(4):436–442. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Dowling G. P., McDonough E. T., 3rd, Bost R. O. 'Eve' and 'Ecstasy'. A report of five deaths associated with the use of MDEA and MDMA. JAMA. 1987 Mar 27;257(12):1615–1617. doi: 10.1001/jama.257.12.1615. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Gawin F. H., Ellinwood E. H., Jr Cocaine and other stimulants. Actions, abuse, and treatment. N Engl J Med. 1988 May 5;318(18):1173–1182. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198805053181806. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Heischober B., Derlet R. W. Update on amphetamine abuse. West J Med. 1989 Jul;151(1):70–71. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Jackson J. G. The hazards of smokable methamphetamine. N Engl J Med. 1989 Sep 28;321(13):907–907. doi: 10.1056/nejm198909283211321. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Klatt E. C., Montgomery S., Namiki T., Noguchi T. T. Misrepresentation of stimulant street drugs: a decade of experience in an analysis program. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 1986;24(5):441–450. doi: 10.3109/15563658608992606. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Kramer J. C., Fischman V. S., Littlefield D. C. Amphetamine abuse. Pattern and effects of high doses taken intravenously. JAMA. 1967 Jul 31;201(5):305–309. doi: 10.1001/jama.201.5.305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Lake C. R., Quirk R. S. CNS stimulants and the look-alike drugs. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 1984 Dec;7(4):689–701. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Lam D., Goldschlager N. Myocardial injury associated with polysubstance abuse. Am Heart J. 1988 Mar;115(3):675–680. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(88)90820-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Lucas P. B., Gardner D. L., Wolkowitz O. M., Tucker E. E., Cowdry R. W. Methylphenidate-induced cardiac arrhythmias. N Engl J Med. 1986 Dec 4;315(23):1485–1485. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198612043152311. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Pitts D. K., Marwah J. Cocaine and central monoaminergic neurotransmission: a review of electrophysiological studies and comparison to amphetamine and antidepressants. Life Sci. 1988;42(9):949–968. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(88)90425-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Puder K. S., Kagan D. V., Morgan J. P. Illicit methamphetamine: analysis, synthesis, and availability. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 1988;14(4):463–473. doi: 10.3109/00952998809001564. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Rhee K. J., Albertson T. E., Douglas J. C. Choreoathetoid disorder associated with amphetamine-like drugs. Am J Emerg Med. 1988 Mar;6(2):131–133. doi: 10.1016/0735-6757(88)90050-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Salanova V., Taubner R. Intracerebral haemorrhage and vasculitis secondary to amphetamine use. Postgrad Med J. 1984 Jun;60(704):429–430. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.60.704.429. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Schechter M. D., Glennon R. A. Cathinone, cocaine and methamphetamine: similarity of behavioral effects. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1985 Jun;22(6):913–916. doi: 10.1016/0091-3057(85)90295-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Scheel-Krüger J. Behavioural and biochemical comparison of amphetamine derivatives, cocaine, benztropine and tricyclic anti-depressant drugs. Eur J Pharmacol. 1972 Apr;18(1):63–73. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(72)90132-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Woolverton W. L., Ricaurte G. A., Forno L. S., Seiden L. S. Long-term effects of chronic methamphetamine administration in rhesus monkeys. Brain Res. 1989 May 1;486(1):73–78. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(89)91279-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. ZALIS E. G., PARMLEY L. F., Jr FATAL AMPHETAMINE POISONING. Arch Intern Med. 1963 Dec;112:822–826. doi: 10.1001/archinte.1963.03860060060004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Zalis E. G., Lundberg G. D., Knutson R. A. The pathophysiology of acute amphetamine poisoning with pathologic correlation. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1967 Oct;158(1):115–127. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Western Journal of Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES