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Journal Article

Citation

Alexander JL, Burton JH, Bradshaw JR, Colin F. Prehosp. Emerg. Care 2004; 8(4): 427-430.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine 04102, USA. alexajo@mmc.org

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, National Association of EMS Physicians, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15626007

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: News organizations and governmental agencies have reported substantial increases in the number of opioid-related overdose cases in recent years. OBJECTIVE: To describe the utilization of emergency medical services (EMS) for suspected opioid-related overdose cases in a rural state during the period 1997 through 2002. METHODS: Statewide EMS records were reviewed for 1997 through 2002. Data reviewed included prehospital diagnosis and medications given to all patients by prehospital providers. For cases with a prehospital diagnosis of poisoning or overdose, data reviewed included medications given to patients by prehospital providers, pupil size, and respiratory rate. All records were reviewed in a defined sequence. RESULTS: The study period encompassed 1,175,781 patient encounters. Poisoning or overdose patients accounted for 19,808 (1.7%) encounters. Naloxone was administered by the EMS provider to 2,668 (0.2%) patients. For all poisoning or overdose patients, 1,308 (6.6%) had miotic pupils, 450 (2.2%) had a respiratory rate of <12 breaths/min, and 1,569 (7.9%) received naloxone. During the investigation period, total EMS patient encounters increased 25%, while patients with a complaint of poisoning or overdose increased 47%. The incidences of EMS overdose patients with miotic pupils, respiratory rate <10 breaths/min, and naloxone administration increased 167%, 295%, and 154%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In this rural state, prehospital patients with findings suspicious for opioid overdose disproportionately outpaced the growth of all EMS encounters as well as general overdose encounters during the defined investigation period.

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