Amphetamines and acute renal failure

Strenuous exertion is a recognized cause of haematuria but full investigation is still required to exclude any serious underlying pathology. Heavy exercise and amphetamine abuse can both cause rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure. The recent popularity of 'rave parties' has highlighted these problems in young people who attend the all-night dance parties where a minority of them abuse drugs such as amphetamines. We describe a case of rhabdomyolysis following ingestion of amphetamines during a rave party, where the patient was diagnosed early, presenting acutely with frank haematuria...

The complications of drug abuse encompass a spectrum of glomerular, interstitial, and vascular diseases. They comprise the heroin-associated nephropathy seen in African-American intravenous drug addicts, which, however, has given way in the 1990s to HIV-associated nephropathy. Infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus may cause acute glomerulonephritis by releasing bacterial superantigens. Hepatitis C has supplanted hepatitis B and may give rise to membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and cryoglobulinemia...

A patient who sustained a major burn following abuse with Ecstasy and Whizz is described. His progress was complicated by hyperpyrexia, acute renal failure and convulsions, all of which have been recently recognized as potential side-effects of Ecstasy abuse. This report further highlights the dangers of substance abuse.

Phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride is an amphetamine-like substance that is found in 64 different over-the-counter preparations for colds and appetite suppression. It is also found in numerous prescription drugs. Recently, it has been reported to cause symptoms of sympathomimetic-like effects, such as severe hypertension, hypertensive crisis, and possible renal failure. Also, several cases of psychotic episodes while taking phenylpropanolamine have been reported. This is the report of seven patients who have experienced acute CNS effects...

A 32-year-old man had acute renal failure after ingesting amphetamines. The renal biopsy findings indicated acute interstitial nephritis. In contrast to other reports, which indicate an association between coexisting rhabdomyolysis, hyperpyrexia, or necrotizing angiitis and acute renal failure in amphetamine abusers, our case suggests that amphetamine alone may cause acute renal injury.

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A 36-year-old man was admitted because of sopor and dark urine after intravenous amphetamine injection. He subsequently developed myoglobinuria and acute renal failure. Serum myoglobin value was remarkably elevated to 83,000 ng/ml, and urine myoglobin was 400,000 ng/ml. Renal biopsy revealed tubular degeneration and tubular obstruction with myoglobin casts by immunofluorescence examination. Amphetamine-induced rhabdomyolysis was suspected to cause myoglobinuric acute renal failure.