REVIEW ARTICLE An approach to the new psychoactive drugs phenomenon Helen Dolengevich-Segal,1,2 Beatriz Rodríguez-Salgado,3 Jorge Gómez-Arnau,1 Daniel Sánchez-Mateos4 1 Servicio de Psiquiatría, Hospital ABSTRACT Universitario del Henares. Cosla- da, Madrid. Background. The new psychoactive drugs (NPD) are those that represent a danger to public health and are 2 Fundación Psiformación. Madrid. not prohibited by conventions on international narcotics. The concept also includes new contexts and new 3 Centro de Salud Mental de San Blas. Hospital Universitario routes of consumption as well as novel ways of distribution, notably Internet. The risks associated with NPD Ramón y Cajal. Madrid. consumption are largely unknown to users and to health care providers. Objective. To integrate the exist- 4 Hospital Universitario La Fe. Va- ing evidence regarding the main NPD in terms of description, epidemiology, psychopharmacology, medical lencia. complications and psychoactive effects. Method. To review relevant and updated clinical information on NPD Correspondence: obtained from specialized books and indexed scientific journals (PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Scopus), Helen Dolengevich-Segal as well as official documents edited by international organizations dedicated to the epidemiologic analysis Servicio de Psiquiatría, Hospital of drug abuse and Internet websites and forums managed by psychoactive substance users. Results. As- Universitario del Henares. pects of clinical and pharmacological interest are described comprehensively, together with epidemiological Avenida de Marie Curie s/n 28822 Coslada, Madrid, España. data and risks associated to the consumption of the most relevant NPD: synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic Phone: (0034) 91191 - 2852. cathinones, NBOMe series, indoleamines, piperazines, hallucinogenic mushrooms (Psilocybe SP.), synthetic E-mail:
[email protected] opioids, plant products (khat, kratom, Salvia divinorum, ayahuasca) and dissociative anesthetics.