Cardiac arrest in a young healthy male patient secondary to kratom ingestion: is this ’legal high' substance more dangerous than initially thought ?

What is it about?

Kratom is a psychoactive herb that has stimulant properties at low doses and has opioid-like properties at higher doses. It has been used for centuries in southeast Asia as a stimulant but has gained increasing popularity as a substitute for opioids in western countries as it is easily available. As most cases of kratom use involve other drugs too, the FDA and DEA have stopped short of restricting kratom due to difficulty assessing the adverse effects of kratom alone. However, at least 6 states have gone ahead and banned it. We came across a case of a young healthy 35-year-old male who suffered a cardiac arrest due to kratom use with no other coingestants. He suffered from heart failure and small strokes as a result and was on a ventilator for a few days. Fortunately, he made a successful recovery. Our case highlights the potential adverse effects of Kratom and the need to regulate its use.

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