Introduction:

Medical students face an intense academic workload, so it is common for them to use various substances to stay alert.

Objective:

To describe the psychostimulant substances used to maintain wakefulness by medical students in Asunción, Paraguay, during 2024.

Methodology:

Descriptive, cross-sectional study with analytical and retrospective components, conducted at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the National University of Asunción from August to November 2024. The sampling was non-probabilistic for convenience, with a sample size of 88. The accessible population consisted of third-year medical students enrolled in 2024. Data were collected using a digital form designed in Google Forms. The variables were sociodemographic and work-related, consumption patterns, types of stimulant substances consumed, and the effects experienced after consumption. The measurement instrument was the psychostimulant consumption questionnaire by Castro Bedoya et al. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee under Code TI588/2024.

Results:

Eighty-nine students were surveyed, 60.67% were women, and 83.1% were exclusively dedicated to their studies. The most commonly used substances were coffee (94.38%) and chocolate (93.26%). Sixty-four-point twenty-nine percent consume coffee four or more times a week, and 28.57% consume Coca-Cola two to three times a week. Students “always” consume these substances to stay up late studying (62.9%) and for exams (48.3%). No association was found between gender and the consumption of different types of substances.

Conclusions:

The most commonly used substances are caffeinated beverages. Coffee is consumed four or more times a week to study late into the night and prepare for exams. The perceived effects include increased alertness and concentration, although some students report insomnia and tachycardia.

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