TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Methamphetamine deaths: changing trends and diagnostic issues
JO  - Medicine, science, and the law
A1  - van denHeuvel, Corinna
A1  - Byard, Roger W.
A1  - Kenneally, Michaela
A1  - Lewis, Daniel
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - The term 'amphetamine' refers to a class of synthetic drugs which includes methamphetamine. The latter is a globally popular drug of abuse which induces euphoria, affecting cognitive/psychomotor performance and sleep. It also provokes risk taking and violent behaviour. The central effects of methamphetamine are due to the overproduction of neurotransmitters, resulting in high levels of dopamine. In recent years, there have been significant increases in cases of methamphetamine abuse in North and South America, Australia and Asia due to its ready availability and low cost. The following review examines changing trends in methamphetamine use and problems that arise diagnostically in medico-legal cases in determining the significance of post-mortem blood levels, the relationship of these to ante-mortem levels, the possible effects on physical and psychological behaviours and the possible contribution of the drug to a lethal episode.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0025-8024
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0025802420986707
ID  - ref1
ER  -