Deaths from exposure to paramethoxymethamphetamine in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada: a case series.
CMAJ Open January 13, 2015 J. E. Nicol, M. Yarema, G. Jones et al. 35 citations
Paramethoxymethamphetamine (PMMA), a drug similar to MDMA but more toxic, caused 27 deaths in Alberta and British Columbia over 11 months. Most victims were young men (median age 24), and 17 died in hospital. Key features included very high heart rate, low blood pressure, high body temperature, and serotonin syndrome. Organ damage was common: 85% had acute kidney injury, 61% had coagulopathy, and 54% had rhabdomyolysis. Other drugs like MDMA, cocaine, and methamphetamine were often present. Clinicians should expect multiple effects from neurotransmitter release when treating suspected PMMA exposure.