Emergency room visits

Distribution of PCP-related emergency room visits by age, race and 8ex, 1983... 

Ketamine-related emergency room visits have increased dramatically in recent years (Figure 6.3). In 1994, the number of times ketamine was mentioned in emergency room reports was 19, but by 2001 this number had grown to 679. This increase in ketamine-related emergencies is likely due to its increased popularity at dance clubs and raves, and its combined use with alcohol and other drugs. 

Deaths attributable to ketamine appear to be extremely rare, if not actually nonexistent. The drug also appears to be relatively low in popularity, compared to other "club drugs such as MDMA, methamphetamine, and LSD. The number of emergency room visits attributed to ketamine use has varied considerably over the last decade, ranging from 19 in 1994 to 396 in 1999 to 679 in 2001 to 260 in 2002, the last date for which data are available. 

The average number of emergency room visits at City Hospital fell from 486.4 per week to 402.5 per week. By how many emergency room visits per week did the average fall a. 73.9 b. 83 c. 83.1 d. 83.9 e. 84.9... 

Figure 4.1 Emergency room visits due to Ecstasy use have increased dramatically in recent years. Whiie many people believe that Ecstasy is harmless, these numbers prove that as Ecstasy s popularity increases, so do its dangers.

Use of PCP increased between 1991 and 1996, at which time levels began to drop. Although levels of use remain relatively low, they are higher than in the early 1990s. DAWN estimates 6,510 emergency room visits in 1995 secondary to PCP use (or PCP in combination with another chemical/drug), up from 3,470 in 1991. As of 2000, approximately 5.8 million individuals aged 12 and older had used PCP at least once in their lifetime most of these users were adults over 18 years of age. 

Part of the reason use of GBL and similar products have gone unchecked is that the FDA has less authority to control dietary supplements, which are not subject to the same strict review procedures as are drugs. Consumers should be aware that products available in health food stores or even on supermarket shelves can be just as dangerous as prescription drugs. Just because a product is labeled natural does not mean it is safe, and natural poisons like wild mushrooms cause many emergency room visits, cases of brain damage, and even deaths each year. 

More than half of GHB-related emergency room visits are for unexpected reaction and overdose following recreational use. The U.S. government s Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) reported an alarming rise in... 

GHB and related products are popular with high school and college students. More than 60% of GHB abusers are between the ages of 18 and 25 years. Of the 72 individuals known to have died from GHB since 1995, 40% were between the ages of 15 and 24 years, and 27% were between the ages of 25 and 29 years. According to DAWN statistics, 60% of GHB-related emergency room visits are in patients age 25 and under. 

Hospital data collected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, suggests the age of the typical American club drug user is between 18 and 25. Whereas only 20% of all drug-related emergency room visits involved patients 25 and under, this age group accounts for 58% of ketamine incidents, 67% of all recorded MDMA incidents, 50% of recorded GHB incidents, and 46% of all LSD incidents. 

DAWN says emergency room visits associated with club drug use of ecstasy increased 58% between 1999 and 2000 (from 2,850 to 4,511). The report offers no evidence of a similar surge over the same period for GHB, ketamine or rohypnol, though it should be noted that ecstasy tablets sold anywhere in the world are routinely cut with other drugs, ketamine included. 

The addictive quality and the speed with which tolerance to the drug developed was becoming apparent, and in the 1970s medical literature issued frequent reports of methaqualone abuse, dependence, and withdrawal. Hospital admissions and fatalities related to methaqualone grew exponentially. In 1982, there were a reported 2,764 emergency room visits attributed to Quaalude use. 

Methaqualone use and abuse in the United States dropped significantly after its reclassification to an illicit Schedule I drug. Fatalities and injuries related to the drug s use have also declined accordingly. According to the National Narcotics Intelligence Consumers Committee, annual U.S. emergency room visits related to methaqualone fell from 2,764 in 1982 to just 163 in 1988. 

The DAWN survey shows a definite downward trend in the number of methaqualone-related emergency room visits in the United States, with a total of 574 incidents in 1998, 271 in 1999, and 127 in 2000. 

Since the early 1990s the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and C viruses, and tuberculosis among people who inject opiate drugs has increased dramatically. The annual number of opiate-related emergency room visits has increased dramatically and the number of people who die each year as a result of abusing opiates has nearly doubled in recent years, further underscoring the human, economic, and societal costs of opiate addiction. 

Pediatric OSAS patients demonstrated a similar pattern in Israel (52). Of 287 consecutive children with OSAS, there was at least a two fold increase in utilization of health care services compared to 149 controls 1 year before diagnosis. The high-cost contributors were hospital days, medications, and emergency-room visits. Subjects with untreated OSAS have many more sleepiness-related motor vehicle accidents as compared to a control group. However, the loss of productivity and opportunity loss have not yet been estimated for OSAS patients. 

Cynthia is using a secondary data source to conduct her cost-benefit analysis. After she has identified her variables of interest, she asks the HMO to provide her with baseline information on all heart failure patients prior to implementing her service. The HMO is able to stratify the data by diagnosis, so Cynthiaasks for annual numbers and costs of hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and medications for their heart failure patients (see Table 27-3). 

Pande JN, Bhatta N, Biswas D, Pandey RM, Ahluwalia G, Siddaramaia NH, Khilnani GC (2002) Outdoor air pollution and emergency room visits at a hospital in Delhi. Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci, 44 13-19. 

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