[Acute poisoning in drug addicts]

Death in drug addicts is frequently caused by intoxication due to drug overdose or additional ingestion of hypnotic drugs. Only 25 (1%) of 2594 well documented cases in a poison control center linked to an intensive care unit were concerned with drugs. Ten patients were severely intoxicated and all were hospitalized. Of 612 patients treated in the ICU, 8 (1.5%) were drug addicts with severe intoxications. Heroin was regularly involved, but only 3 had pure heroin intoxication. In 5 patients hypnotic drug poisoning predominated, most frequently due to deliberate barbiturate ingestion. All 8 patients were unconscious, 6 were artificially ventilated, and 5 received antidotes.