Demographic Factors, Duration of Hospitalization, Costs of Hospitalization, and Cause of Death in Patients Intoxicated with Amphetamines and Opioids

Poisoning is one of the most important medical emergencies. In recent years, prevalence of poisoning with opioids and stimulants, such as amphetamines, especially among young people is rising. In this study we investigated demographic factors, duration of hospitalization, costs of hospitalization, and cause of death in patients intoxicated with amphetamines and opioids.

This study was a prospective descriptive– analysis study. The sampeling was census of patients intoxicated with amphetamines and opioids alone or combined, who reffered to toxicology ward of Aliasghar hospital, Iran.

During 6 months, among 2325 patients who referred to toxicology ward, 542 patients (23.3%) consumed amphetamines (98 patients used opioids, 419 patients used amphetamines, and 25 patients used both of them). The mean age of patients in three groups was not significantly different. Most patients were male in all three groups. The most route of consumption was orally in opioid group (74.5%) and inhalation in amphetamine group (42.9%). The most cause of poisoning was intentional. Vital signs in the admission time in the three groups were normal, but in the amphetamine group, the average of heart rate, body temperature, respiratory rate and blood pressure was slightly higher than opioid group. 4 patients were died totally and the outcome was not significantly different between groups.The mean age of died patients was sigmificantly higher than two alive patients. The duration of hospitalization was higher in patients who died.

According to our results intoxication with amphetamines and opioids was seen in young men more than other groups. Therefor control and prevention of consumption of opioids or amphetamines in this this group is an important way to reduce this kind of intoxication.