Emergency management of acute phencyclidine intoxication

Phencyclidine (PCP) is a potent sympathomimetic and hallucinogenic dissociative anesthetic agent. As an abused street drug, it is most often smoked, thus allowing the user to titrate the dose. The clinical signs of PCP intoxication can be viewed in three dose-related stages, but waxing and waning of signs through the three stages is not uncommon. Treatment protocols for each stage address drug therapy and both clinical and psychological supportive measures.