Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-22dnz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T12:43:07.486Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Mephentermine Dependence with Psychosis

A Case Report

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Abstract

Dependence on mephentermine, a widely used sympathomimetic pressor agent, is so far unreported, although misuse of inhalers is recognised. A case of mephentermine dependence associated with chronic psychosis is reported here. Psychosis initially surfaced with chronic dexamphetamine abuse, but was sustained for 3 years by mephentermine. After a period of remission lasting for 4 years, the patient again developed psychosis on restarting abuse of mephentermine, which lasted for 5 years.

Type
Brief Reports
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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.)

Footnotes

*

Mephentermine injection (Pharmacopoeia of India, 3rd edn, 1985). Trade name - Mephentine injection (Wyeth). It contains 15 mg and 30 mg per ml of mephentermine base as mephentermine sulphate IP. Made in India by Geoffrey Manners & Company Ltd.

References

American Psychiatric Association (1980) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd cdn). (DSM-III). Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association.Google Scholar
Angrist, B. M., Schweitzer, J. W., Gershon, S. &. Friedhoff, A. J. (1970) Mephentermine psychosis: misuse of the Wyamine inhaler. American Journal of Psychiatry, 126, 13151317.Google Scholar
Connell, P. H. (1958) Amphetamine Psychosis, Maudsley Monograph No. 5. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Escobar, J. I. & Karno, M. (1982) Chronic hallucinosis from nasal drops. Journal of the American Medical Association, 247, 18591860.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greenberg, J. R. & Lustig, N. (1966) Misuse of Dristan inhaler. New York Journal of Medicine, 66, 613617.Google Scholar
Herridge, C. F. & A'Brook, M. F. (1968) Ephedrine psychosis. British Medical Journal, ii, 160.Google Scholar
Leighton, K. M. (1982) Paranoid psychosis after abuse of Actifed. British Medical Journal, 284, 789790.Google Scholar
Reynolds, J. E. F. (ed.) (1982) Mart indale: The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 28th edn. London: Pharmaceutical Press.Google Scholar
Roxanas, M. G. & Spalding, J. (1977) Ephedrine abuse psychosis. Medical Journal of Australia, 2, 639640.Google Scholar
Snow, S. S., Logan, T. P. & Hollender, M. H. (1980) Nasal spray addiction and psychosis: a case report. British Journal of Psychiatry, 136, 297299.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weiner, N. (1985) Norepinephrine, epinephrine, and the sympathomimetic amines. In The Pharmacological Basis of TTierapeutics, 7th edn (eds A. G. Gilman, L. S. Goodman, T. W. RaU & F. Murad). New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.