Changes in some essential elements in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of heroin dependent patients

ABSTRACT

Heroin is a medical, social and legal problem. In this work, the clinical data obtained from addicts were evaluated and the effect of heroin dependence on some essential elements in their plasma and cerebrospinal fluid was determined. The patients who were examined and investigated during the 1st four hours after their last heroin dose, showed no apparent clinical manifestations except for constricted pupils, while those seen from 12-36 hours after their last dose showed withdrawal manifestations of various degrees of intensity. No changes were observed in the level of the chosed elements in their plasma or CSF up to four hours after the last dose, while in patients investigated after 12-36 hours after the last dose; a significant reduction in the mean CSF concentrations of both Ca [12.02%] and Mg [32.8%] as compared to the control group was present. The concentrations in the plasma did not change