Am J Psychiatry 1982; 139:1604-1606
Copyright © 1982 by American Psychiatric Association
Chronic phencyclidine abuse and physical assault
AM Khajawall, TB Erickson and GM Simpson
When the authors investigated aggressive behavior on a phencyclidine (PCP)
detoxification and rehabilitation unit and compared similar types of
behavior on a heroin unit, they found no differences between the two units.
The urinary PCP levels of a subgroup of 75 patients admitted to the PCP
unit who had PCP-positive urine were significantly higher than those of 75
patients admitted to an acute psychiatric ward because of violent behavior
who also had PCP-positive urine. The authors discuss the implications of
these findings and the need for more information on the relationship
between PCP levels in blood and urine and behavior.
