Substance abuse warning network: Pilot results in poisoned patients

The sociomedical phenomenon of drug abuse remains among the most critical issues facing our society, today. The present study reports the pilot results of Drug Abuse Warning Network in Loghman-Hakim Hospital,Tehran. After taking history of 1850 patients who were chosen randomly for interview and screened for drug of abuse in the emergency department during 12 months;16 substances including morphine, methadone, bupernorphine, oxycodone, tramadol, propoxyphene, amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3, 4- ethylenedioxy methamphetamine, cocaine, ketamine, phencyclidine, tetrahydrocanabinol, benzodiazepines, ethanol and barbiturates were evaluated using urine screening immunoassay kits in Loghman-Hakim Hospital. Totally 1850 patients were chosen randomly for interview and screened for drug of abuse in the emergency department. From the above group 1258 (68%) including 739 (58.7%) women accepted to enter the study. The mean age was 28±11 (range 12-88). Totally 945 (75.1%) patients had deliberately poisoned themselves, while substance intoxication was the cause of admission in 194 (15.4%) patients. Taken all minimum substance abusers together, opioid abusers were 397 patients (31.6%), of whom 144 cases (11.4%) were hidden abusers that were revealed by lab tests. Stimulant abusers were 123 patients (9.8%) with 49(3.9%) hidden abusers, hallucinogen 22 (1.7%) patients abusers with 15 (1.2%) hidden abusers, sedative abusers 337 cases (26.8%) with 145 hidden abuse (11.5%) and alcohol abusers were 76 patients (0.6%). There are noticeable amount of hidden abusers in the community which need suitable and instant intervention.