Increasing rates of methamphetamine/amphetamine-involved overdose hospitalizations in Washington State, 2010-2017

In the United States, overdose deaths resulting from methamphetamine and other amphetamine-type stimulants (METH/AMPH) have been increasing. We describe rates and characterize patients hospitalized after a METH/AMPH-involved overdose in Washington State, to guide prevention and control measures.

We conducted a trend analysis of hospitalized Washington State residents aged ≥15 years who received a METH/AMPH-involved overdose diagnosis in Washington's civilian hospitals and reported in the Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System.

We used Joinpoint regression analysis to study trends in rates of hospitalized patients who received a METH/AMPH-involved overdose diagnosis during 2010-2017. We used 2016-2017 data to describe characteristics of patients with nonfatal and fatal outcomes and used chi-square test (for categorical variables) and Wilcoxon rank-sum test (for continuous variables) to compare characteristics of patients by outcome.

During 2010-2017, 3587 patients were hospitalized and received a METH/AMPH-involved overdose diagnosis. The age-adjusted rate for METH/AMPH-involved overdose hospitalization increased from 6.3/100,000 persons in 2010 to 8.5/100,000 persons in 2017. Patients aged ≥55 years had the greatest increase in rate of overdose hospitalizations. Among these patients, 86% also had a substance use disorder diagnosis involving substances other than METH/AMPH, and 35% experienced a polysubstance overdose.

We observed increasing rates of METH/AMPH-involved overdose hospitalizations in Washington State, particularly among persons aged ≥55 years. Approximately a third of patients also experienced a polysubstance overdose, which can be considered when designing interventions to address increasing rates of overdose hospitalizations in Washington State.