The Risk of Emergency Room Treatment Due to Overdose in Injection Drug Users |
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| Authors: | Markus Backmund PhD Christian Schuetz PhD Kirsten Meyer MD Brian R. Edlin PhD Jens Reimer PhD |
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| Affiliation: | 1. General Hospital Munich Schwabing , Munich, Germany;2. Department of Psychiatry , University of Bonn , Bonn, Germany;3. Weill Medical College of Cornell University , New York;4. Centre for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research , University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg, Germany |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACT This cohort study was conducted to identify risk factors for lifetime emergency room treatment due to overdose in injection drug users. Data of 1049 patients on admission for opioid detoxification were analyzed. More than every third injection drug user (34.7%) experienced emergency room treatment due to an overdose. Using multiple logistic regression not living with a significant other drug user (odds ratio [OR] = 1.78, P = .002), history of suicide attempt (OR = 3.0, P = .000), daily use of barbiturates (OR = 2.17, P = .006) and cannabis (OR = 1.89, P = .001) were independently associated with emergency room treatment, whereas shorter duration of opioid use (OR = 0.23, P = .001) was independently associated with lack of emergency room treatment. Suicidal thoughts and multiple use of central nervous system depressants should be considered in injection drug users entering the emergency room due to an overdose. Emergency rooms should be seen as important places for offering further assistance (e.g., counselling) or referral to an addiction unit to drug users. |
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| Keywords: | Injection drug user overdose emergency room treatment |
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