A Fatal Trip with Ecstasy: A Case of 3,4-Methylene-Dioxymethamphetamine/ 3,4-Methylenedioxy-Amphetamine Toxicity
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 1996 DOI: 10.1177/014107689608900115 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | 3 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Citations | 48 |
| Key findings | The authors argue that MDMA ('ecstasy') ingestion, particularly in the setting of all-night dancing and strenuous exertion, can cause hyperthermia and serious complications, and they emphasize that prompt recognition and treatment are needed to prevent irreversible harm. |
Abstract
Since the late 1980s there have been a number of reports about the complications associated with using the designer drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or 'ecstasy'. Although this drug has been widely abused in the past, the potentially fatal complications have arisen recently mainly due to the circumstances of its use at all-night dance sessions or 'raves'. A combination of direct toxicity and strenuous physical exertion can lead to hyperthermia and its attendant complications. The following case illustrates some of the possible consequences following ingestion of 'ecstasy', and reiterates the importance of prompt recognition and treatment in preventing the development of irreversible sequelae.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on MDMA, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 'Eve' and 'Ecstasy'. A report of five deaths associated with the use of MDEA and MDMA Individuals whose deaths were associated with MDMA or MDEA use | 1987 | Case series | n = 5 |
| Pathology of deaths associated with "ecstasy" and "eve" misuse. Young white men aged 20 to 25 who died after using ring-substituted amphetamines (MDMA... | 1996 | Case series | n = 7 |
| 'Eve' and 'Ecstasy' Individuals who died after using MDMA or MDEA | 1987 | Case series | n = 5 |
| A Method of Conducting Therapeutic Sessions with MDMA Clients with clear therapeutic purpose, excluding those with serious functional... | 1998 | Case study | n = 2 |
| Diversity of Psychopathology Associated with use of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’) Psychiatric patients presenting between 1990 and 1992 whose symptoms developed in the... | 1994 | Case series | n = 13 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Ecstasy (MDMA) Deaths in New York City: A Case Series and Review of the Literature Journal of Forensic Sciences 2002
- Carvedilol reverses hyperthermia and attenuates rhabdomyolysis induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) in an animal model* Critical Care Medicine June 1, 2005
- 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) and Driving Impairment Journal of Forensic Sciences November 1, 2001
- Attenuation of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy)‐induced rhabdomyolysis with α1‐ plus β3‐adrenoreceptor antagonists British Journal of Pharmacology June 1, 2004
- An Appraisal of the Pharmacological and Toxicological Effects of a Single Oral Administration of 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in the Rat Pharmacology & Toxicology May 1, 1997
and 11 more in the library