“INTRODUCTION
Psychoactive fungi, colloquially known as “magic mushrooms,” are known for their hallucinogenic properties mediated by psilocybin, atryptamine-like alkaloid metabolized to the active constituent psilocin, a 5-HT2A receptor agonist.1While usually taken orally, there are anecdotal reports on the internet of the recreational injection of psilocybin, though the professional literature on this practice is scant.2,3Here, we describe a case of a 30-year-old man who injected psilocybin intravenously resulting in an extended stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) due multiple-system organ failure.
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Laboratory studies revealed thrombocytopenia, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, hypochloremia, hypocalcemia, acute renal insufficiency, and acute liver injury. Cardiac workup revealed elevated cardiac enzymes and his electrocardiogram was remarkable for sinus tachycardia and early repolarization. Mr. X was then transferred tothe ICU for evidence of multi-organ failure and he was started on intravenous fluids, multiple vasopressors, broad spectrum antibiotics, and anti-fungal medications. His hospital course was further complicated by septic shock and acute respiratory failure requiring intubation on hospital day two and disseminated intravascular coagulation requiring plasmapheresis. Cultures confirmed bacteremia (ultimately cultured as Brevibacillus) and fungemia (ultimately cultured asPsilocybe cubensis – i.e. the species of mushroom he had injected was now growing in his blood). He was treated for a total of 22 days in the hospital with eight of them in the ICU. At the time of writing, he is currently still being treated with a long-term regimen of daptomycin, meropenem, and voriconazole.”
That’s an excerpt of the medical report.
Psychoactive fungi, colloquially known as “magic mushrooms,” are known for their hallucinogenic properties mediated by psilocybin, atryptamine-like alkaloid metabolized to the active constituent psilocin, a 5-HT2A receptor agonist.1While usually taken orally, there are anecdotal reports on the internet of the recreational injection of psilocybin, though the professional literature on this practice is scant.2,3Here, we describe a case of a 30-year-old man who injected psilocybin intravenously resulting in an extended stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) due multiple-system organ failure.
...
Laboratory studies revealed thrombocytopenia, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, hypochloremia, hypocalcemia, acute renal insufficiency, and acute liver injury. Cardiac workup revealed elevated cardiac enzymes and his electrocardiogram was remarkable for sinus tachycardia and early repolarization. Mr. X was then transferred tothe ICU for evidence of multi-organ failure and he was started on intravenous fluids, multiple vasopressors, broad spectrum antibiotics, and anti-fungal medications. His hospital course was further complicated by septic shock and acute respiratory failure requiring intubation on hospital day two and disseminated intravascular coagulation requiring plasmapheresis. Cultures confirmed bacteremia (ultimately cultured as Brevibacillus) and fungemia (ultimately cultured asPsilocybe cubensis – i.e. the species of mushroom he had injected was now growing in his blood). He was treated for a total of 22 days in the hospital with eight of them in the ICU. At the time of writing, he is currently still being treated with a long-term regimen of daptomycin, meropenem, and voriconazole.”
That’s an excerpt of the medical report.
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