Methamphetamine Use and Emergency Department Utilization: 20 Years Later

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Toxicology
• Public Health

Background:

• Methamphetamine (MAP) users frequently access emergency departments (EDs) for various reasons.
• Reasons include trauma, chest pain, and psychosis.
• Understanding changes in MAP patient prevalence, demographics, and resource needs is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze changes in the prevalence of methamphetamine (MAP) users in the ED.
• To examine shifts in demographics and resource utilization among MAP patients.
• To compare current trends with a previous study from 1996.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of MAP-positive patients over a 3-month period in 2016.
• Data collected included demographics, mode of arrival, chief complaints, and disposition.
• Concomitant cocaine and ethanol use were also analyzed and compared to 1996 data.

Main Results:

• A rise in MAP-positive patients was observed compared to 1996.
• MAP patients in 2016 were older than in the 1996 cohort.
• Presenting complaints shifted, with lower rates of blunt trauma and higher rates of chest pain; admission rates and discharges to jail decreased.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of methamphetamine (MAP) positive patients in the ED has significantly increased.
• Observed differences in presentations and resource use suggest evolving demographics of MAP users.
• An aging patient population is a notable demographic shift among MAP users.