General practice & primary care · UKMLA & AKT
Stimulant use disorder
A free high-yield preview for the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test, covering how to recognise this condition. The full SA Note notes add investigations, management and complications, with practice questions on this topic.
Key high-yield points
- Principal stimulants: amphetamines/methamphetamine (Class B), cocaine and MDMA/ecstasy (Class A) under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
- All act by causing synaptic dopamine excess - amphetamines/MDMA reverse DAT to flood synapse; cocaine blocks DAT preventing reuptake
- MDMA additionally causes serotonin surge (empathogenic effects) and stimulates ADH release → dilutional hyponatraemia with excess water intake
- Chronic use down-regulates dopamine receptors → tolerance and withdrawal syndrome (dopamine tone below baseline when drug absent)
Unlock the full Stimulant use disorder revision
Get the complete high-yield notes (4 more sections covering investigations, management and complications), practice questions, mock exams and Sal, the AI tutor. Start free.