Medical and psychiatric complications of pentazocine and tripelennamine abuse.

The change in illicit drug use from 1973 to 1979 was studied in Chicago veterans. Barbiturate and amphetamine use has decreased significantly. Nearly a seven-fold increase in pentazocine use has occurred. All but one of the pentazocine users added tripelennamine to the intravenous or subcutaneous injections. Sixty-four instances of medical or psychiatric complications including seizures, abscesses, depression, and psychosis, occurred in the 69 pantazocine and tripelennamine users. A possible pharmacologic explanation of the seizures and psychiatric complications is advanced. Most users of pentazocine and tripelennamine started in an attempt to withdraw from heroin or because of the poor quality of heroin available.