Amphetamine Toxicity - Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Introduction

Amphetamine toxicity is mainly due to the misuse of the drug for substance abuse by millions worldwide. Besides the use of amphetamine for ethical and lawful treatment of some diseases, the potential drug overdose has shown significant cases of adverse drug effects. The drug comes in various forms like powder, paste, liquid, pills, and capsules. They are consumed in different ways, such as smoking, ingestion, swallowing the drug, snorting through the nose, or dabbing gum inside the mouth.

What Are the Different Types of Amphetamine Drugs Used Illegally?

• Amphetamine - is known as whiz, speed, louee, and uppers.

• Methamphetamine (Liquid) - is commonly known as ox blood, leopard's blood, or liquid red.

• Methamphetamine (Crystal solid) - also called meth, d-meth, speed, crystal, or base.

• Dextroamphetamine (Illegally used ADHD medicine) - is also known as pep pills, black beauty (in combination with amphetamine), or dixies.

What Are the Medicinal Uses of Amphetamine?

• ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) - This disorder is mainly seen in children and can pass on to adulthood also. A person with this disorder may feel irritability, lack of organization, hyperactivity, or mood swings. The drug can be used for the treatment of these symptoms and also helps in brain growth and development in children. However, studies show that amphetamines can be used only for short-term treatment as they can lead to adverse drug events and overdose.

• Narcolepsy- This disorder leads to frequent sleep attacks, and the person feels sleepy throughout the day. Narcolepsy can cause loss of muscle tone, and a person may fall. Amphetamines treat narcolepsy, but Modafinil drugs can replace their side effects to keep patients awake.

• Depression - Amphetamine can treat depression and other antidepressant medicines if the patient is tired. The medication can also treat OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and schizophrenia.

• Obesity - According to some studies, the drug can also treat obesity and help lose weight. Dexamphetamine can be used for this purpose.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Amphetamine Overdose?

• Insomnia - Due to the hyperactive effect of the amphetamine, the brain and body are usually active, and thus sleeping becomes problematic and causes insomnia.

• Loss of Weight - Weight loss occurs due to the drug's effect on the appetite, which gets suppressed.

• Heart Rate and Breathing Increases - Amphetamine affects the central nervous system, speeds up the action controlled by CNS, and increases heart rate and breathing pattern.

• Dehydration - The drug causes a headache, dry mouth, and dehydration on considerable dose abuse and causes difficulty in drinking water to overcome this effect.

• Restless Behavior - It is due to a high level of energy generated in the body, which may lead to tremors, shivering, and sometimes teeth grinding and clenching.

• Altered Sexual Behavior - Amphetamine leads to a high sex drive after abuse due to dopamine release in the brain.

• Altered Energy Levels - Amphetamine smoking or ingestion boosts the body's energy levels, and the effect may last up to one to four hours. Once the effect subsides, the energy level comes down to normal quickly.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Amphetamines?

• Kidney complications.

• Lung disorders.

• Vertigo.

• Tooth decay.

• Cardiovascular diseases.

• Chronic insomnia.

• Malnutrition.

• Weakness.

• Skin problems (such as sores and itching).

• Behavioral disorders.

• Cognitive abilities decrease.

• Depression.

• Hallucinations.

• Convulsions and tremor.

• Unconsciousness.

• Psychosis.

• Needle-related infections.

• Lack of concentration.

• Hyperthermia.

• Hypotension.

• Parkinson’s disease (Dopamine-related).

How Does Amphetamine Affect Brain Functioning?

Amphetamine is a pep drug that makes a person more physically active and boosts the energy levels in the body by causing the release of dopamine (the feel-good chemical) in the brain, which enhances the person's mood. This drug is also used by people for performance improvement in sports and other fields and helps them stay awake on the job or during exams.

Amphetamine drugs produce joy and pleasurable effects like:

• It boosts self-confidence.

• It makes a person more socially active and talkative.

• It increases energy levels.

• It has a euphoric effect.

• It gives the feeling of thinking more clearly.

How Can We Diagnose Amphetamine Drug Dependence?

• Doctors may ask about the amount and duration of the drug used.

• Blood samples can be taken to detect the presence of amphetamine in the body.

• Physical examination is done to check signs and symptoms.

What Is the Treatment for Amphetamine Dependence?

1. Therapy (Treatment Without Medication) -

• Behavior Change Therapy - This talk therapy method helps understand the patients' behavior and reason for substance abuse. This therapy often involves family and friends to prevent treatment program relapse.

• Live-In Treatment Therapy - In this method, patients suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms are made to stay in the live-in treatment program to monitor symptoms and progress for safety reasons.

2. Medications -

• Some withdrawal symptoms and cravings for the drug can be reduced by medications such as Naltrexone.

• Supportive treatment with sedation can also be given to people to control seizures. This includes benzodiazepine supportive therapy.

• Anxiety and depression are also treated with medication.

What Should Be Done in Case of Amphetamine Overdose?

• Reach the nearest medical center and seek a doctor's advice immediately.

• Provide the correct information to the respondent about drug dosage amount, drug allergies, past or present medical history, and alcohol or drug intake. In addition, the patient must be kept in safe surroundings to avoid any harm and injury due to any event of seizures.

What Are the Withdrawal Symptoms of Amphetamine Toxicity?

• Lack of concentration.

• Hallucinations.

• Altered moods like depression, aggression, or anxiousness.

• Lack of energy.

• Headache, sleeplessness.

What Are the Contraindications for Amphetamine?

• Glaucoma.

• Bipolar disorder.

• Hyperthyroidism.

• Hypertension.

• Suicidal tendencies.

• Cardiovascular diseases.

Conclusion:

Amphetamine stimulates the central nervous system, is also very addictive and has many psychological and other harmful side effects. Though it is used for various medical purposes to treat diseases like narcolepsy and ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactive disorder), its substance abuse can cause serious drug addiction and dependency. Therefore, one must avoid illegal drug consumption and immediately avail of emergency treatment if any drug overdose symptom is reported.