Citation

Zawilska JB. Curr. Opin. Psychiatry 2014; 27(4): 256-262.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/YCO.0000000000000066

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

PURPOSE of Review: New designer drugs are constantly emerging in the illicit drug market and represent a significant health problem. A very popular class comprises synthetic cathinones, β-keto amphetamine analogues, endowed with psychostimulant properties. The aim of this review is to discuss the recent progress in our understanding of how cathinones act and the health consequences of their use. Recent Findings: Despite being banned, synthetic cathinones are still used, especially by certain sub-populations. The recently observed trend to supplement psychostimulatory drugs of abuse with mephedrone must be considered highly dangerous to the public health. At the molecular level, the drugs act as blockers or substrates for monoamine transporter proteins. In animal studies, cathinones were found to evoke abuse-related behaviors and to have a negative impact on cognitive processes. The increased popularity of mephedrone among men who have sex with men with alarming sexual health consequences warrants the implementation of new treatments and education/training programs. Summary: Synthetic cathinones exert similar, but not identical, effects to psychostimulatory drugs of abuse. The use of cathinones may lead to serious psychotic, neurological, cardiovascular, and sexual health consequences. Exposure to these drugs may result in multiorgan failure and death. Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; human; cognition; multiple organ failure; insomnia; depression; Methamphetamine; psychosis; suicide attempt; sexual health; drug abuse; drug overdose; rhabdomyolysis; patient education; emotional disorder; review; anorexia; mental disease; personality disorder; dysthymia; behavior disorder; drug metabolism; cognitive defect; tachycardia; xerostomia; unclassified drug; automutilation; paranoia; anxiety disorder; panic; urine retention; neurotoxicity; dopamine; delusion; nonhuman; confusion; convulsion; cardiomyopathy; methamphetamine; drug dependence; seizure; drug fatality; tremor; dysphoria; restlessness; heart arrest; acute kidney failure; nightmare; drug distribution; catatonia; perception disorder; hypertension; side effect; withdrawal syndrome; drug tolerance; creatine kinase; creatinine; creatinine blood level; body weight disorder; hyponatremia; metabolic acidosis; nausea and vomiting; heart palpitation; thorax pain; disseminated intravascular clotting; central stimulant agent; dizziness; polydipsia; sinus tachycardia; compartment syndrome; auditory hallucination; memory disorder; hyperthermia; designer drug; animal behavior; Central Nervous System Stimulants; hyperkalemia; drug induced headache; mydriasis; dopamine uptake; hyperhidrosis; blurred vision; sweat gland disease; creatine kinase blood level; visual hallucination; epistaxis; bruxism; public health problem; alkaloid; Alkaloids; cathinone; health disparity; nose irritation; acute liver failure; analogs and derivatives; locomotion; necrotizing fasciitis; pyrovalerone; 4' methylmethcathinone; 3,4 methylenedioxypyrovalerone; men who have sex with men; designer drugs; Designer Drugs; mephedrone; psychostimulants; synthetic cathinones