; (Seiden) are just a few of the effects also including, “convulsions, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (blood clotting in the blood vessels), rhabdomyolysis (dissolution of skeletal muscle), and acute renal (kidney) failure” (Aertes). Cardiac arrhythmia is also a possible side effect from taking MDMA, since the drug raises blood pressure; the irregularities in heartbeat could be fatal for people who are predisposed to heart conditions. Hyperthermia, the over-heating of the body causing it to lose function, is the most prevalent of these symptoms, which supporters of MDMA contest could be caused by dancing in the hot clubs where much ecstasy use takes place. However, in controlled situations, body temperature is raised without dancing (Aertes). Hyperthermia can cause other adverse effects on the body. There have been cases where users of the drug suffered from acute liver failure, precipitated from the hyperthermic condition and not directly from the effects of MDMA (Aertes). Even while alleviating the hyperthermia, the body could be in serious risk of certain types of attacks. While lowering the body temperature, consuming lots of water could cause a lowering of salt concentration in the fluids. The hypertonic condition of the body fluids as a solution would cause the cells to swell, and sometimes could lead to water intoxication and death. Two cases studied were shown in postmortem autopsies that after they took MDMA and drank too much water they, “developed mild oedoma (abnormal accumulation of fluid in brain tissue)” (Aertes).There are other systemic effects of MDMA that are observed, which are not particularly dangerous, but still play a part in its biological effects. The feelings given by the bombardment of serotonin can cause effects like, “muscle tension…rapid eye movement, faintness, and chills” (“Ecstasy.”). Dr. Aertes points out some other effects ...
