Adverse outcomes of GHB use: Analysis of ambulance attendances in metropolitan and regional Victoria

•Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) use and attributable harms have been increasing.•We analysed all GHB-related ambulance attendances between January 2018 and 31 December 2021 in Victoria, Australia.•There were 6,836 ambulance attendances for GHB recorded, with numbers higher in metropolitan areas. A high...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The International journal of drug policy 2023-01, Vol.111, p.103932-103932, Article 103932
Main Authors: Ogeil, Rowan P., Faulkner, Agatha, Beard, Naomi, Killian, Jessica J., Arunogiri, Shalini, Phan, Vicky, Wilson, James, Smith, Karen, Lubman, Dan I., Scott, Debbie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adverse outcomes
Ambulance attendances
Ambulances
Communicable Disease Control
COVID-19
Cross-Sectional Studies
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate
GHB
Humans
Paramedics
Pre-hospital
Retrospective Studies
Sodium Oxybate - adverse effects
Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology
Victoria - epidemiology
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Summary:•Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) use and attributable harms have been increasing.•We analysed all GHB-related ambulance attendances between January 2018 and 31 December 2021 in Victoria, Australia.•There were 6,836 ambulance attendances for GHB recorded, with numbers higher in metropolitan areas. A high proportion of GHB-attendances involved harms of significant concern including: overdose (56%) and a loss of, or altered state of consciousness (45%). Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) use and attributable harms have been increasing in Australia, however changes over time, including the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions on harms requiring an ambulance attendance, are unknown. This study utilised a novel population-based surveillance system to identify the types of GHB-related harms between January 2018 and 31 December 2021 in Victoria, Australia. A cross-sectional, retrospective analysis of all GHB-related ambulance attendances between January 2018 and 31 December 2021 in Victoria, Australia was undertaken. Paramedic clinical notes and Glasgow Coma Scale scores were used to assess conscious state. Event codes were classified using dispatch information available in the database. Crude rates (per 100,000 population) and descriptive analyses were calculated for metropolitan and regional settings. Adjusted Odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals [95% CI] were used to assess the relationship between GCS severity and polysubstance combinations with GHB. There were 6,836 ambulance attendances for GHB recorded during the study period. A statistically significant increase in GHB-related attendance numbers was observed State-wide in 2019 (n = 1,402, p
ISSN:0955-3959
1873-4758
DOI:10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103932