Pentedrone-induced acute psychosis in a patient with opioid addiction: A case report

Background: New psychoactive substances (NPSs) have been emerging into prominence on the European drug scene and around the world in the last few years. The number of NPSs is constantly increasing, but there is a lack of research in this field, while their unwanted effects are still barely known (as is true also of their long-term consequences). Unfortunately, when unwanted effects do occur they can lead to serious consequences on physical and mental health, in line with the descriptions given in the literature. Case report: The case report refers to a 25-year-old man who had been treated with buprenorphine to cure opioid addiction, and then developed an acute psychotic reaction after pentedrone had been abused. He was frightened, and experienced altered mental states and socially disruptive responses: logorrhoea, disorganized behaviour, with delusions of persecutions and reference, haptic hallucinations, anxiety and impaired insight. In order to allow treatment of his acute psychotic disorder, the patient was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and antipsychotic medication was administered in combination with benzodiazepines. Meanwhile, buprenorphine tapering was performed rapidly. Only a few days later the psychotic symptoms resolved. Treatment of the patient continued at the addiction department for a short period, but he was not motivated or prepared for that. His imminent discharge was followed by relapse into drug use. Conclusions: It seems that pentedrone use could be associated with the resolution of acute psychosis after a short period of antipsychotic treatment.