MDEA related death in Crete: a case report and literature review

"Designer drugs" are derivatives of approved drugs abused for recreational effect and created by underground laboratories to circumvent legal restriction. By far the most controversial drug has been MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) and the newer derivative MDEA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) often called "Eve". MDEA-related deaths have not been reported in the US, but there have been a death of MDMA and MDEA severe poisonings. Convulsions, collapse, hyperpyrexia, disseminated intravascular coagulation rhabdomyolysis, and acute liver and renal damage result from the ingestion of the drug. Complications may occur and severity and death possibly result. The case of a 31-y-old male, the first victim of MDEA in Greece, is reported. Blood MDEA was 3.1 micrograms/mL; MDEA concentrations in liver, lung and kidney were 4.8, 5.2, and 4.8 micrograms/g respectively.