Prevalences of and characteristics associated with single- and polydrug-involved U.S. Emergency Department Visits in 2018

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Addict Behav
• Personal Author:
  Pickens, Cassandra M. ; Hoots, Brooke E. ; Casillas, Shannon M. ; Scholl, Lawrence
• Description:
  Introduction:
  
  Nonfatal and fatal drug overdoses have recently increased. There are limited data describing the range of illicit, prescribed, and over-the-counter drugs involved in overdoses presenting to U.S. emergency departments (EDs).
  
  Methods:
  
  Using 2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide ED Sample (NEDS) data, we calculated weighted counts and percentages by drug among overdose-related ED visits. Overdose-related ED visits were those having an International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) drug poisoning code falling under parent codes T36-T50 (codes involving alcohol were not explicitly queried). We identified the top 30 mutually exclusive polydrug combinations and compared characteristics of visits by polydrug status.
  
  Results:
  
  In 2018, 908,234 ED visits had a T36-T50 drug poisoning code. The most frequently reported drugs involved were opioids (30.3% of visits; heroin: 15.2%), benzodiazepines (11.0%), stimulants (7.9%), other/unspecified antidepressants (7.1%), 4-aminophenol derivatives (6.6%), and other/unspecified drugs, medicaments, and biological substances (11.8%). Overdose was uncommon for most other drug classes (e.g., antibiotics). Polydrug visits were more likely to involve females (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12–1.16), be coded intentional self-harm (PR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.77–1.85), and result in hospitalization (PR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.79–1.89) or death (PR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.22–1.53) compared to single-drug overdose-related visits. Benzodiazepines, opioids, and/or stimulants were most frequently involved in polydrug overdoses.
  
  Conclusion:
  
  Opioids, benzodiazepines, and stimulants were most commonly reported in both single-drug and polydrug overdose-involved ED visits. Other drugs involved in overdoses included antidepressants and 4-aminophenol derivatives. Jurisdictions can use data on drugs involved in overdoses to better tailor prevention strategies to emerging needs.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Analgesics, Opioid Drug Overdose Emergency Service, Hospital Female Humans International Classification Of Diseases Prevalence
• Source:
  Addict Behav. 125:107158
• Pubmed ID:
  34717272
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC9559594
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHSUnited States/
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Volume:
  125
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:c93494b27ebdc79f30cc53dd2ed7095b315a22128870b92c0de32841d58b2d82
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/121809/cdc_121809_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 335.07 KB ]