Flakka Drug: Symptoms, Side Effects & Complications

The pharmaceutical name for the designer drug is a-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone – otherwise known flakka drug wikipedia as a-PVP or alpha-PVP – a chemical compound originally synthesized in the 1960s. Like bath salts, the substance is packaged in plastic bags or vials and labeled “not for human consumption” or “plant food.” You can buy it online or off the street. Flakka has the tendency to increase a user’s body temperature to 104 degrees Celsius or higher. Spiked temperature can lead to kidney damage or failure which could ultimately lead to death. Flakka also elevates blood pressure which could lead to stroke, heart attack or heart failure, and aneurysm.

After effects

As flakka is a new drug, there is still a lot to learn about the treatment of the substance. Little information is known about flakka outside what is reported from users. Synthetic drugs are illicitly created to produce substances that differ slightly from legal drugs. Another serious, potentially lingering side effect of flakka is the effect on kidneys. The drug can cause muscles to break down, as a result of hyperthermia, taking a toll on kidneys. Experts worry that some survivors of flakka overdoses may be on dialysis for the rest of their life.

Illegal Drug Addiction

The synthetic drug can also elevate your blood pressure, which can cause a heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, or heart failure, according to the Mayo Clinic. Flakka is a highly addictive and dangerous drug, otherwise known as alpha-PVP (alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone.) It is an amphetamine-like stimulant that belongs to the cathinone drug class. Cathinones are man-made, or synthetic drugs containing cathinone, a naturally occurring stimulant found in the khat plant. The initial effects of taking Flakka are similar to those of bath salts and methamphetamines.

• This assessment is based on the drug’s potent effects, its ability to alter brain chemistry, and comparisons with other synthetic drugs like bath salts.
• The combination of a high body temperature and extreme muscle overactivity can cause other metabolic problems to happen in the body.
• A popular street name for A-PVP is “gravel” as the pink and white crystals look like those placed in fish aquariums.
• After the high comes a period of “comedown”, a state when Flakka leaves the body.
• However, since Flakka mimics methamphetamine and cocaine, its long term effects may rival the two mentioned illicit drugs.

Psychosis

Unfortunately, Flakka abuse and addiction are difficult to treat because the lingering effects can take an uncertain period of time to recover from, if at all. And even among those who enter rehabilitation programs, relapse is common. Despite early and well-publicized reports of people high on flakka literally eating others in fits of insanity, there is no evidence that Flakka causes berserk cannibalism. Treatment for Flakka addiction includes a number of steps that are beneficial in streamlining the recovery process. Cathinones are chemicals derived from the khat plant originating in the Middle East and Somalia—where the leaves are frequently chewed for a euphoric buzz.

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Bath salts, in general, are synthetic psychoactive drugs made in large quantities in foreign drug labs. These drugs are all related to a broader group of chemical compounds known as cathinones. Each time one type of bath salt is made illegal, the drug labs change the chemical structure slightly and a new drug that is technically not illegal is created. In the case of Flakka, the new chemical is called alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone or alpha-PVP. Drug users take Flakka to get a feeling of euphoria, a heightened sense of awareness, stimulation, and energy.

• The adverse side effects of the drug include volatile psychosis, leading it to be dubbed “the zombie drug”.
• Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate the brain’s reward and pleasure centers.
• The result of the cellular products and proteins released during rhabdomyolysis and dehydration can impair the filtering function of the kidneys, leading to renal failure and death.
• One of the newer chemicals in the booming category of synthetic or designer drugs, Flakka is typically made from a synthetic version of an amphetamine-like stimulant in the cathinone class called alpha-PVP.
• As soon as it wears off, one may need to take more of the drug, thereby causing adverse effects.

Likewise, adverse effects become increasingly likely with higher doses and may include addiction, severe injury, or death . People who use flakka can be poor decision-makers and can hurt themselves and others due to the psychosis from flakka intake. Knowing the dangers of this street drug is essential since it is compelling, and an individual’s first flakka use can be life-endangering and maybe the last in the case of death. The Khat plant is mainly grown in Arabia, and East African countries, and some individuals chew its leaves to attain mild stimulation. Flakka is highly dangerous since it can cause extreme paranoia and trigger violent acts, leading to self-harm.

Flakka or A-PVP is a synthetic cathinone, a category under which the natural, mild, stimulant khat belong. Chemical-wise, this chemical is a more powerful, next generation bath salts. The United States Code (USC) Controlled Substance Act is the system followed and implemented by the Drug Enforcement Administration. There are five schedules of controlled substances labeled from 1-V, with the classification based on the pertaining drug’s medical applications, safety, and abuse potential. Similar to other stimulants, Flakka use results in a flood of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate the brain’s reward and pleasure centers.