High mortality rates among GHB abusers in Western Sweden.
BACKGROUND
GHB is a drug of abuse and acute poisonings have been an increasing medical problem over the last decade in Sweden.


OBJECTIVE
To document all cases of GHB poisonings in Gothenburg during 1995-2004 and to record drug-related deaths to compare the toxicity of GHB with other illicit drugs, such as heroin and amphetamine.


METHODS
The number of GHB-poisoned patients treated at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital has been recorded with the help of an in-house database. The number of deaths by illicit drugs was recorded during 2004. Seizures of the drugs GHB, 1,4-butanediol, and GBL were registered between 1996 and 2004.


RESULTS
The number of poisoned patients was 259. The number of seizures with GHB was 743, GBL 343, and 1,4-butanediol 236. In 2004 the number of deaths was 6 with heroin, 7 with GHB, 32 with amphetamine, 6 with cocaine, and one with methadone. One patient with GHB poisoning died during hospital care.


CONCLUSIONS
Intoxication by GHB has substantial morbidity and abuse of GHB has substantial mortality. The acute prognosis is good but long-term prognosis is insecure with an increased risk for drug dependency and an early death.
Knudsen
Kai
K
Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. kai.knudsen@aniv.gu.se
Greter
Joachim
J
Verdicchio
Mario
M
D015107:4-Butyrolactone; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000506:poisoning; D002072:Butylene Glycols; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D016495:Police; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000506:poisoning; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D002072:Butylene Glycols; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D012978:Sodium Oxybate; C039681:1,4-butanediol; D015107:4-Butyrolactone