Fatal Massive Amphetamine Ingestion Associated with Hyperpyrexia

Abstract

Amphetamine use in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s resulted in many reports of death attributed to toxicity. Few approved indications exist for the medical use of amphetamine and its derivatives. Unfortunately, when compared with other illegal street drugs, nonmedical uses of various amphetamines have been increasing in the 1990s. The abuse of amphetamines continues to cause severe and lethal intoxications, although to a lesser extent than alcohol, which has caused more than 18,000 non-motor-vehicle-related deaths in the United States in 1997. In addition to other commonly abused substances, clinicians should suspect stimulant use, be aware of common street names (fable 1), and be prepared to recognize the characteristics most commonly associated with poisoning from this class of drugs. This brief report describes one of two recent overdose cases admitted to the inpatient service of a community hospital family practice residency program.