Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, and several other drugs
have become widely popular among young people. Physicians should be aware that a
growing number of young patients (mainly between the ages of 12 and 27) are
using these illegal “club drugs.”
Ecstasy is a synthetic, psychoactive drug with both stimulant and
hallucinogenic properties.
The National Institute on
Drug Abuse report that short term effects of Ecstasy can cause dramatic changes
in heart rate and blood pressure, dehydration and potentially life threatening
increase in body temperature. Long
term effects can cause lasting changes in the brain’s chemical systems that
control mood and memory.
For more information on this topic
you may go to the following websites:
American Society of
Addiction Medicine
National Institute on
Drug Abuse, club drugs resources