Phencyclidine

Observational studies

Among 107 consecutive patients with phencyclidine intoxication, the diagnosis was confirmed by positive urine assay in 27 [ ]. The most common abnormalities were mental/behavioral (89%) and nystagmus (85%). There were also increases in blood pressure, temperature, and heart rate. The most common serious medical complication requiring hospitalization was rhabdomyolysis, which occurred in three patients, two of whom developed acute renal insufficiency.

Four major and five minor clinical patterns of acute phencyclidine intoxication have been described in 1000 patients [ ]. Major patterns were acute brain syndrome (24.8%), toxic psychosis (16.6%), catatonic syndrome (11.7%), and coma (10.6%). Minor patterns included lethargy or stupor (3.8%) and combinations of bizarre behavior, violence, agitation, and euphoria in patients who were alert and oriented (32.5%). Patients with major patterns of toxicity usually required hospitalization and had most of the complications. Patients with minor patterns generally had mild intoxication and did not require hospitalization, except for treatment of injuries or autonomic effects of phencyclidine. There were various types of injuries in 16%, and aspiration pneumonia in 1.0%. There were 22 cases of rhabdomyolysis (2.2%), and three patients required dialysis for renal insufficiency. One patient who had been comatose died suddenly with a pulmonary embolism.

Of 68 users of phencyclidine (37 men, 31 women; aged 14–38 years), 42 used it daily, and 14 used it intravenously; 25 considered themselves to be addicted to it [ ]. The effects that they reported are listed in Table 1 , the self-reported unwanted behaviors in Table 2 , and the withdrawal effects in Table 3 .

Cardiovascular

In seven cases of poisoning with phencyclidine, death followed a hypertensive crisis [ ]. In one case an acute episode of hypertension resulted in coma and blindness [ ].