Course Summary
Synthetic cathinone or bath salts is an illicit psychoactive drug. Bath salts intoxication is characterized by intense cardiovascular and central nervous system stimulation, which can lead to significant morbidity and death. The synthetic cathinones are known to have have direct toxic effects. Case studies are included in this study that discuss the dangers of designer drug use. The stimulant effects of the synthetic cathinones are the mechanism of action underpinning most of the signs and symptoms of bath salts intoxication. There is no antidote for bath salts intoxication.
Course Format
Homestudy
Course Syllabus
- I. Introduction
- II. Pharmacology of Bath Salts
- III. Bath Salts Intoxication
- 1. Cardiovascular
- 2. Central Nervous System
- 3. Hyperthermia
- 4. Renal System, Hepatic, and Electrolytes
- 5. Dermal and Musculoskeletal
- IV. Treatment
- V. Case Studies: Bath Salts
- VI. Case Study 2: Bath Salt with MDPV and Flephedrone
- VII. Summary
Authors
Dana Bartlett, RN, BSN, MSN, MA, CSPI
Dana Bartlett is a professional nurse and author. His clinical experience includes 16 years of ICU and ER experience and over 27 years as a poison control center information specialist. Dana has published numerous CE and journal articles, written NCLEX material, textbook chapters, and more than 100 online CE articles, and done editing and reviewing for publishers such as Elsevier, Lippincott, and Thieme. He has written widely on the subject of toxicology and was a contributing editor, toxicology section, for Critical Care Nurse journal. He is currently employed at the Connecticut Poison Control Center. He lives in Wappingers Falls, NY.
Kellie Wilson, PharmD
Kellie Wilson is a Doctor of Pharmacy practicing in Anaconda, Montana, where she lives with her husband and four children. She attended the University of Montana in Missoula where she graduated in 2009 with a doctorate in pharmacy. She later worked in Boise, Idaho for a large, retail pharmacy for 2 years, and then returned home to Montana to oversee an independently owned retail and long-term care pharmacy in Anaconda. As an independent retail pharmacist she has become very involved in psychiatric pharmacy for two major behavioral health organizations that are located around all of Montana. Kellie’s passion is retail pharmacy because she enjoys the interactions with customers as well as the challenges and rewards of staying current with the continuous changes in the pharmacy field.
