I've been doing a lot of research into spice (k2, spice, legal bud) and these bath salts that kids are doing. Has anyone experienced extreme cases of things going wrong with a patient that has ingested these things? If I do get an extreme case, what's my best course of Rx (bls)? I'm very worried because the county im going to work in, these things are major problems. I've heard of kids as young as 12 years old doing it. I mean kids think that since people are selling it, it's harmless.
If you can share the pt. vitals so i can see if there is a trend I could follow
Spice (JWH-016 and JWH-018) are synthetic cannabinoids, that are according to lab tests 3x as powerful as cannabis.
Effects you may note:
Increased heart rate, Nausea/vomiting, HTN, headaches.
Bath salts as they are called or (MDPV 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone) is not really a bath salt, it is just sold as such to avoid the Federal Analogue act, just as mephedrone and methylone are sold as "Pond Cleaner and Plant Food".
All of these compounds are known as research chems, there are thousands of them... you haven't begun to see the half of it.
MDPV, BK-MDMA, 2C-i halo, 2C-t-7, 4-OH-DIPT, 4-OH-MIPT, 5-MeO-DMT, 5-MeO-DIPT, 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenythalamine (TMA-6), 5-IAI, Methcathinone (CAT), Propylhexedrine(aka Levo-metamfetamine), and tons more. When one becomes scheduled, another replaces it. They can be purchased online or at any head shop.. RCs and entheogenical bioderivatives are here to stay.
MDPV (sold as Bath Salts and Pond Cleaner) is a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor with properties similar to that of Molly (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine and methamphetamine).. These drugs act on the sympathetic nervous system resulting in Tachycardia, Pupil dilation, paranoia, and possible psychosis.
The patients you will come across who have ingested MDPV will more closely resemble an individual in meth psychosis. These drugs act primarily by releasing large amounts of dopamine (The pleasure reward chemical) resulting in a high potential for redosing and dependency.
The effects of these 3,4-methylenedioxy-ring substituted pyrovalerone compounds typically last anywhere from 2 - 7 hours depending on a variety of factors including metabolism, dose taken, and whether or not the indvidiual has redosed.
Symptoms can include:
Tachycardia, hypertension, pupil dilation, insomnia, grinding of the teeth (bruxism), headache, increased body temp (NOTE THIS), nausea, digestive problems, kidney pain, dizziness, tinnitus (rare), agitation, hallucination and/or delusion /c general lack of reality testing, and in some cases breathing difficulty.
Treat these patients as you would an individual under the influence of amphetamines.
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My background in chemistry has allowed me a special insight into the designer drug scene and as such, I keep up with all of these substances regularly to act as a contact point for emergency medical providers in my medical center with regard to their effects, presentations, etc.
For all of you noticing an increased volume of calls due to the ingestion of these various substances that wish to get with your medical director and service directors to come up with protocols and in-services, feel free to contact me via PM, and I will provide a detailed write up and explanation of the latest designer chems along with several resources you can provide to your directors/officials for protocol writing and in-servicing of employees.
