Synthetic Cathinone Intoxication: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Case-Based Learning

Course overview

Synthetic cathinones, commonly referred to as "bath salts," are potent psychoactive substances associated with severe cardiovascular, neurologic, and psychiatric complications. Structurally related to amphetamines, these designer stimulants increase synaptic dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Acute intoxication may result in agitation, psychosis, seizures, hyperthermia, and fatal arrhythmias. This course reviews the pharmacology, clinical presentation, and management of synthetic cathinone toxicity, illustrated through case studies involving NSTEMI and cardiac arrest. Given the lack of an antidote, treatment is supportive, emphasizing early recognition and symptom-targeted care.