User:Emmdas07/sandbox/overdose

Death from Overdose
Methamphetamine overdose is a diverse term. It frequently refers to the exaggeration of the unusual effects with features such as irritability, agitation, hallucinations and paranoia. It might also refer to intentional self-harm or a fatal outcome. The CDC reported that the number of deaths in the United States from psychostimulants with abuse potential to be 23,837 in 2020 and 32,537 in 2021.

New

The mechanism of death in these cases is not reported in these statistics and is difficult to know.

doi: 10.21037/jtd.2018.04.113

New 11/27

Methamphetamine overdose is a diverse term. It frequently refers to the exaggeration of the unusual effects with features such as irritability, agitation, hallucinations and paranoia. It might also refer to intentional self-harm or a fatal outcome. The CDC reported that the number of deaths in the United States involving psychostimulants with abuse potential to be 23,837 in 2020 and 32,537 in 2021. This category (ICD–10 of T43.6) includes primarily methamphetamine but also other stimulants such as amphetamine, and methylphenidate. Deaths involving cocaine are reported separately (ICD–10 of T40.5) as are opiates (ICD–10 of T40.0–T40.4). The mechanism of death in these cases is not reported in these statistics and is difficult to know.

Although these statistics are reported as deaths involving a particular drug. The CDC implies that these numbers represent the number of deaths. This is particularly true of opiates. See "Understanding the Opiate Epidemic".

I purpose to add a section to the methamphetamine page as follows.

Death from Overdose

Overdose of methamphetamine is a diverse term which could include an intentional excessive amount with suicidal intent. It also could include an excess of the intended effect(overamping) with such symptoms as irritability, agitation, hallucinations and paranoia. This might result from the variability of illicit sources. There is no quality control. A degree of tachycardia and elevated blood pressure should be expected from the usual recreational use but may not be noticed. The extent to which an exaggeration of cardiovascular effects might lead to a fatal outcome is unknown. Overdose fatalities with methamphetamine are coded with the disease code (ICDM) of T43.6 This category includes primarily methamphetamine but also other stimulants such as amphetamine, and methylphenidate. The CDC reported that the number of deaths in the US under this code as 23,837 in 2020 and 32,537 in 2021. The mechanism of death in these cases is not reported in these statistics and is difficult to know. Methamphetamine is not a respiratory depressant as are opiates. Some deaths are as a result of intracranial hemorrhage. and some deaths are cardiovascular in nature including flash pulmonary edema. and ventricular fibrillation. Metabolic acidosis can accompany cardiovascular toxicity. Seizures although dramatic are usually not fatal but may accompany severe toxicity as may hyperpyrexia (i.e., dangerously high body temperature). There may be other factors reported on death certificates that characterized further the nature of a death from methamphetamine.