Propofol dependency in a lay person.

PROPOFOL is a short-acting, intravenous agent used extensively in anesthesia and intensive care medicine to provide dose-dependent sedation and hypnosis. It is characterized by a short onset, a short duration of action, low toxicity, ability to control sedation, and ease of administration. Thus, it quickly found general acceptance after its introduction into the market in the mid 1980s. The abuse potential of propofol has not completely been defined, but there are anecdotal case reports in the literature about abuse of and dependency on propofol. We report a case of a 25-yr-old man with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) who experienced propofol dependency and, under remarkable circumstances, succeeded in providing himself with this drug on a regular basis.