Acute liver failure following recreational use of psychotropic "head shop" compounds.
The recreational use of the so-called "legal-highs" has been in both the medical and political arena over the last year as a result of the appearance of "head shops" in many towns in Ireland. These shops specialized in selling new psychotropic compounds that circumvented established drug legislation. Little is known about the potentially harmful effects of these substances but case reports suggest a plethora of harmful psychological and physical effects. Our case describes for the first time acute liver failure associated with the ingestion of two of these amphetamine type compounds.
National SpR Academic Fellowship Programme, Mater University Hospital, Dublin 7, Ireland, UK. frohlics@yahoo.co.uk
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S
Fröhlich
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Lambe
J
J
O'Dea
D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000328:Adult; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*
D015198:Designer Drugs; D010627:Phenethylamines; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; C029261:phenethylamine; D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine; C544130:2-methylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)butan-1-one