[Emergencies in patients attender in a drug abuse treatment center].

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

To find out the type of emergency consultations made by users at a substance abuse treatment center (SATC).

PATIENTS AND METHOD:

Prospective study of emergency consultations made during six months by patients controlled at a SATC.

RESULTS:

333 patients were followed up; 27 (8%) of them consulted and 9 (33%) were found to have an HIV infection. Heroin addicts consulted more times and repeated visits more commonly than cocaine addicts (p < 0.04 and 0.03). Patients enrolled in the methadone maintenance programme consulted less commonly than patients included in other programmes (p < 0.01). 35% of visited patients did not need treatment and 75% were discharged.

CONCLUSIONS:

We have detected two different types of consultations: those owing to a psychiatric/drug disorder in patients followed-up for less than 1 year, which are resolved after just one visit, without need of hospitalization; and those consultations caused by medical disorders, frequently related to HIV, which are generated by patients submitted to longer follow-up periods; these patients use to repeat the consultations and are commonly admitted.

• Authors: Enric Pedrol, María Teresa Alvarez, Elisabet Deig, Inés Andrés, Mónica Ribell, Anna Soler
• Journal: Medicina clinica (Med Clin (Barc)) Vol. 121 Issue 1 Pg. 18-20 (Jun 07 2003) ISSN: 0025-7753 [Print] Spain
• Vernacular Title: Urgencias motivadas por pacientes controlados en un centro de atención y seguimiento de drogodependencias.
• PMID: 12812704 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Emergencies
• Female
• HIV Infections (complications, epidemiology)
• HIV-1
• Humans
• Male
• Prospective Studies
• Referral and Consultation (statistics & numerical data)
• Substance Abuse Treatment Centers (statistics & numerical data)
• Substance-Related Disorders (complications, epidemiology)