Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T00:27:08.540Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Withdrawal delirium with dance drug ‘liquid ecstasy’ (GHB)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Ruth Garvey  and
Brian Fitzmaurice
Ruth Garvey
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Brian Fitzmaurice
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We wish to describe a case of gamma hydroxyl butyrate (GHB) withdrawal, including seizure activity in a 34 year old male, who had been taking the substance over a two year period. The syndrome has many aspects in common with alcohol withdrawal (delirium tremens) and benzodiazepine withdrawal (long duration of symptoms), however detoxification presents many challenges for clinicians.

Type
Case report
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , June 2004 , pp. 73 - 75
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Nicholson, KL, Balster, RLGHB: a new and novel drug of abuse. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 2001; 63: 1–22CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Williams, H, Taylor, R, Roberts, M. Gamma-hydorxybutyrate (GHB): a new drug of misuse. IMJ 1998; 91: 56–7.Google ScholarPubMed
3.Galloway, GP, Frederick, SL, Staggers, FE JrGonzales, M, Stalcup, SA, Smith, DE. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate; an emerging drug of abuse that causes physical dependence. Addiction 1997;92:89–96.Google ScholarPubMed
4.Craig, K, Gomez, HF, McManus, JL, Bania, TC. Severe Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate withdrawal: a case report and literature review. J Emerge Med, 2000; 18: 65–70CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Palatini, P, Tedeschi, L, Frison, G. Dose dependent absorption and elimination of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid in healthy volunteers. Eur J Clinical Pharmacol 1993; 45: 353–356.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Dyer, JE, Roth, B, Hyma, BA. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate withdrawal syndrome. Ann Emergency Med 2001;37:147–153.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Hechler, V, Ratomponirina, C, Maitre, M. Gamma-hydroy-butyrate conversion into GABA induces displacement of GABA B binding that is blocked by Valproate and Ethosuximide. J Pharmacol Experimental Therapeutics 1997; 281: 753–760.Google Scholar
8.Hernandez, M, Mc Daniel, CH, Costanza, CD, Hernandez, OJ. GHB-induced delirium: a case report and review of the literature of gamma hydroxybutyric acid. Am J Psych 1998;24:179–83.Google ScholarPubMed
9.Dyer, JE. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate: a health food product producing coma and seizure like activity. Am J Emergency Med 1991; 9:321–324.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Chin, MY, Krueutzer, RA, Dyer, JE. Acute poisoning from gamma-hydroxybutyrate in California. W J Med 1992;156: 380–384.Google ScholarPubMed
11.Miotto, K, Darakjian, J, Murray, S, Zogg, J, Rawson, R. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid: patterns of use, effects and withdrawal. Am J on Addict, 2001; 10: 232–41.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Schneir, AB, Ly, BT, Clark, RF. A case of withdrawal from the GHB precursors gamma-butyrolactone withdrawal and 1,4-butanediol. J Emerge Med, 2001; 21: 31–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Sivilotti, ML, Burns, MJ, Aaron, CK, Greenberg, M J. Pentobarbital for severe gamma-butyrolactone withdrawal, Ann Emergency Med 2001; 38: 660–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.McDaniel, C, Miotto, K. Clinical manifestations and treatment of gamma-hydoxybutyric acid withdrawal: Five case studies. J Psychoactive Drugs 2001; 33: 143–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Telia, SR, Korupolu, GR, Schindler, CW, Goldberg, SR. Pathophysiological and pharmacological mechanisms of acute cocaine toxicity in conscious rats. J Pharmacol Experimental Therapeutics 1992; 262:936–946Google Scholar
16.Lange, RA, Cigarroa, RG, Flores, ED. Potentiation of cocaine-induced coronary vasoconstriction by beta-adrenergic blockade. Ann Internal Med 1990; 112: 897–903.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Friedman, J, Westlake, R, Furman, M. Grievous bodily harm: gamma-hydroxybutyrate abuse leading to a Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Neurology, 1996; 46:469–71CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed