Designer drugs 2015: assessment and management
Michael F. Weaver, John A. Hopper, Erik W. Gunderson
Addiction Science & Clinical Practice March 11, 2015 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-015-0024-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Designer drug Mephedrone Hallucinogen Synthetic cannabinoids Psychosis Psychoactive substance Pharmacology Medical emergency |
| Citations | 135 |
| Key findings | Designer drugs cause severe acute toxicity including psychiatric and medical effects, and their use is increasing among young adults and military members. |
Abstract
Recent designer drugs, also known as "legal highs," include substituted cathinones (e.g., mephedrone, methylone, and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, often referred to as "bath salts"); synthetic cannabinoids (SCs; e.g., Spice); and synthetic hallucinogens (25I-NBOMe, or N-bomb). Compound availability has evolved rapidly to evade legal regulation and detection by routine drug testing. Young adults are the primary users, but trends are changing rapidly; use has become popular among members of the military. Acute toxicity is common and often manifests with a constellation of psychiatric and medical effects, which may be severe (e.g., anxiety, agitation, psychosis, and tachycardia), and multiple deaths have been reported with each of these types of designer drugs. Clinicians should keep designer drugs in mind when evaluating substance use in young adults or in anyone presenting with acute neuropsychiatric complaints. Treatment of acute intoxication involves supportive care targeting manifesting signs and symptoms. Long-term treatment of designer drug use disorder can be challenging and is complicated by a lack of evidence to guide treatment.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Pharmacology of MDMA | 2004 | Review | |
| Human psychopharmacology of Ecstasy (MDMA): a review of 15 years of empirical research | 2001 | Review | |
| 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”): pharmacology and toxicology in animals and humans | 1994 | Review | |
| (±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Studies in Animals | 2000 | Review | |
| Amphetamine toxicities | 2010 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- New/emerging psychoactive substances and associated psychopathological consequences Psychological Medicine July 22, 2019
- Reports of Adverse Events Associated with Use of Novel Psychoactive Substances, 2017–2020: A Review Journal of Analytical Toxicology April 20, 2022
- Novel Psychoactive Substances—Recent Progress on Neuropharmacological Mechanisms of Action for Selected Drugs Frontiers in Psychiatry August 18, 2017
- Locomotor and discriminative stimulus effects of four novel hallucinogens in rodents. Behavioural Pharmacology August 1, 2017
- Hallucinogen-Persisting Perception Disorder in a 16-Year-Old Adolescent. Psychopharmacology Bulletin February 3, 2025
and 6 more in the library
Cites 14
- Beyond THC: The New Generation of Cannabinoid Designer Drugs Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 2011
- Clinical toxicology of newer recreational drugs Clinical Toxicology October 1, 2011
- Instability of the ecstasy market and a new kid on the block: mephedrone Journal of Psychopharmacology September 8, 2010
- A brief history of ‘new psychoactive substances’ Drug Testing and Analysis July 1, 2011
- 2-(4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine (25I-NBOMe): clinical case with unique confirmatory testing. Journal of Medical Toxicology March 1, 2014
and 9 more in the library