Canadi EM - January 18, 2022 - By Amar Chakraborty
…”Methamphetamine is currently the second-most popular illicit drug in the world. Its use is associated with short-term and long-term harms to both individuals and communities. Life-threatening acute toxicity will be discussed here, but chronic use of methamphetamine is associated with psychosis, addiction, and medical issues (for example, endocarditis from IV drug use)...
The majority of patients presenting to the ED with methamphetamine toxicity have behavioural disturbances and are acutely agitated. These patients often have many features of the sympathomimetic toxidrome including tachycardia, hypertension, diaphoresis, and mydriasis. If no life-threatening complications are present, the acutely agitated patient responds well to sedation…”