Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) Withdrawal in a Patient with Polysubstance Use

ABSTRACT

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and its various pro-drugs are GABA-B central nervous system depressants more commonly known as “G” and “liquid ecstasy” among those who consume. Due to the depressant quality of the substance and its convenience in online marketplaces, it has become a more commonly abused drug, characteristically among people involved in the “club scene” and among men who have sex with men. As the dose of GHB necessary to obtain feelings of euphoria is relatively low combined with the substance’s rapid metabolism, GHB is nearly undetectable through traditional emergency department urinary drug testing. Consequentially, although the treatment of GHB intoxication and withdrawal is mainly supportive, it is difficult for providers to determine whether GHB is the cause of a patient’s symptoms. Moreover, when GHB is combined with other substances, treatment becomes more complicated. The author presents a case of GHB intoxication and withdrawal in a patient with an extensive polysubstance use history demonstrating not only the difficulty of diagnosis but also a timeline outlining the interventions taken from arrival to discharge with a successful outcome faster than the conventional timeline of GHB withdrawal and recovery.

KEYWORDS:

• Gamma-hydroxybutyrate
• GHB
• Substance use disorder
• Withdrawal
• Polysubstance use

Disclosure statement

The author has no financial disclosures to report and no conflicts of interest.