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Bath Salts Abuse

The latest designer drugs are being marketed as bath salts in head shops and on the Internet. Some popular names include Zoom, White Rush, Cloud Nine, Sextasy, White Dove and Ocean Snow. They have no legitimate use for bathing and are intended for substance abuse. These products contain stimulant compounds such as 3,4-methylene-dioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) or 4-methylmeth-cathinone (mephedrone). Users have snorted, injected and ingested these products. No relationship has been found between exposure route and severity of illness. Clinical findings are consistent with exposure to stimulants and include hypertension, tachycardia, tremors, mydriasis, agitation, delusions, hallucinations, paranoia and rhabdomyolysis. Fatalities have occurred.Testing for these stimulants is available in the toxicology laboratories. Most patients abusing bath salts have tested positive for other drugs. Therefore, physicians should also order a urine drug screen.

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