Spice intoxication and hyperglycemia

Authors

  • A. Elena-González Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias. Alcalá de Henares. Madrid.
  • P. Cuadros-Tito Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias. Alcalá de Henares. Madrid.
  • G. Esteban-Gutiérrez Servicio de Urgencias. Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias. Alcalá de Henares. Madrid.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23938/ASSN.0748

Keywords:

Synthetic cannabinoids. Spice. Hyperglycemia. Acute intoxication. Drug abuse.

Abstract

We present a case of intoxication by synthetic cannabinoids (SC). SC are substances of abuse with effects similar to Marijuana but with a different chemical structure, which avoids its detectability by regular drug tests, making diagnosis difficult. Among the possible side effects of their use is hyperglycemia. Their presence should be suspected in cases of hyperglycemia that cannot be explained by any other cause, especially in young patients presenting another clinical picture suggestive of SC consumption such as agitation, confusional symptoms or psychosis; the patient should be questioned about their use. It is important that the diabetic population knows the side effects of synthetic cannabinoids to avoid their consumption, as it is a sector of the population especially vulnerable to the consequences of their use.

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References

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Published

2020-04-20

How to Cite

Elena-González, A., Cuadros-Tito, P., & Esteban-Gutiérrez, G. (2020). Spice intoxication and hyperglycemia. Anales Del Sistema Sanitario De Navarra, 43(1), 87–91. https://doi.org/10.23938/ASSN.0748

Issue

Section

Clinical notes