Kratom is a plant that some people use to help with things like pain, anxiety, and getting off opioid drugs. However, kratom can also cause problems like overdose, liver damage, and serious medical issues. The article talks about a patient who had a bad reaction to kratom, including muscle damage and kidney problems. This shows that kratom can have serious side effects, especially when mixed with other drugs.
The article also explains that doctors and nurses who aren’t addiction experts need to be able to recognize when patients are using kratom, and know how to help them. Patients with addiction problems often have other health issues too, and doctors need to be prepared to treat those as well.
Key takeaways:
- Kratom use is growing in the United States, but can have serious side effects.
- Kratom is often used with other drugs, which can make the effects harder to predict.
- Doctors and nurses need to be able to recognize and treat the medical problems that can happen with kratom and other substance use.
- Patients with addiction issues can have a wide range of other health problems that need to be addressed.
For further reading:
Full Citation:
Damodaran, T., Chear, N. J.-Y., Murugaiyah, V., Mordi, M. N., & Ramanathan, S. (2021). Comparative Toxicity Assessment of Kratom Decoction, Mitragynine and Speciociliatine Versus Morphine on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryos. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.714918
