Amphetamine Toxicity - Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Introduction

Did you, by chance, take Amphetamine in doses that exceeded what has been prescribed for you? Then you might be going through unexplainable feelings like a pounding heart, hallucinations, aggression, anxiety, tremors, and many more of such kind. All of these are caused by Amphetamine overdosing. However, accidental overdosing is not the only cause for it. 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) - This 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.

The preparation of Amphetamines and their different formulations are regulated by the corresponding country’s drug regulations. As it is recognized as a substance with the potential for misuse and abuse, Amphetamine synthesis that is carried out not in accordance with the regulatory guidelines is regarded as illegal and could be punishable.

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. A person with this disorder may feel irritability, lack of organization, hyperactivity, or mood swings. The drug can be used to treat 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 Is Meant by Speed Drug?

Speed drug is an illegal Amphetamine form that is widely employed. It could boost one’s energy levels, making them more alert and focused. It is often marketed in powder and pill forms, in which the Amphetamine is contained as amphetamine sulfate. Another formulation of speed drug is methamphetamine, and in this form, it could be injected, snorted, or smoked. The sudden energy pump and happiness that speed drugs can cause are being misused by sports persons for performance enhancement. Exaggerated heart rate, anxiety, appetite loss, and deepened sexual desire and drive are some of the speed drug side effects.

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.

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

• Heart Rate and Breathing Increases - Amphetamine affects the central nervous system (CNS), speeds up the action controlled by CNS, and increases heart rate and breathing pattern. The pattern and rhythm of heart beating may also turn out of order by Amphetamine toxicity.

• 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.

• Transient Vision Loss - Amphetamine overdosing can bring out transient or short-term vision loss.

• Problems With Speaking - Disordered and slurred speech are encountered in Amphetamine overdose. The person may even lose awareness of what he or she was saying and may tend to break off the conversation and speak unrelated things.

• Urinary Incontinence - The person may experience trouble with their bladder control with Amphetamine overdose, and that state where the bladder control is impaired is regarded as urinary incontinence. Furthermore, the urine color also tends to be darkened.

• Gastrointestinal (GI) Issues - Diarrhea, stomach pain, abnormal thirst, reduced appetite, heartburn (burning-like chest pain that is felt following food intake), and vomiting are some of the GI effects that Amphetamine overdosing can cause. All these gastrointestinal issues are due to the overstimulation of the GI system.

• Muscular Issues - Muscular issues in the form of muscle pain, spasms, weakness, and stiffness can be precipitated by Amphetamine overdose.

In addition to the above-listed Amphetamine toxicity symptoms and signs, Amphetamine overdosing also causes chest discomfort, headache, shaky hands, exaggerated reflexes, swollen and puffy arms and legs, abnormal sweating, ringing sound in the ear, altered consciousnesses, abnormal body temperature, anger, hyper-excitement, panic states, violence, nervousness, and fainting.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Amphetamines?

• Kidney complications.

• Lung disorders.

• Vertigo (spinning sensation).

• 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).

• Gastritis (inflamed and sore gastric lining).

How Does Amphetamine Affect Brain Functioning?

Amphetamine is a pep drug that makes a person more physically active and boosts energy levels by causing the release of dopamine (the feel-good chemical) in the brain. This drug also enhances a person's mood and is used to improve performance in sports and other fields. It also helps people 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.

• A physical examination is done to check for 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 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.