Trihexyphenidyl: characterization of its abusive consumption by a group of users in the city of São Paulo

Abstract

The abuse of anticholinergic drugs to induce mental alterations as hallucinations and delirium is widely known. Trihexyphenidyl (Artane®), among these drugs, seems to be the most abused. In Brazil, its use has been already observed among psychotic patients, first and second grade students, street children and crack-cocaine addicts. Faced to the lack of Brazilian reports describing such inadequate use of trihexyphenidyl, this study was conducted to characterize recreacional use as well as reasons that justify the misuse. Adopting qualitative methodology and a Purposeful Sampling achieved by a Criterion Sampling (21 users and 16 ex-users), it was observed predominance of single poliusers men, without employment bonds, who abused of trihexyphenidyl in the attainment of mental alterations, mainly hallucinations and deliriums. Trihexyphenidyl is consumed in association with alcohol, other licit drugs (BDZ) and illicit drugs, impairing cognitive functions as memory, attention and learning, intervening with some activities of users' daily life. Reported as an easy access medicine, with low-cost and resulting in drastic effects in the life of the user, these results pointed to the necessity of more effective measures in its release, beyond the necessity of adoption of prevention measures to avoid its abuse.