A demographic evaluation of acute drug reactions in a hospital emergency room.

This study investigated a sample of persons treated for acute drug reactions (overdoses) in a hospital emergency room setting to determine the general characteristics of these drug abusers and the incidence of drugs responsible for their admission. Detailed information is provided on the race and sex composition of these drug abusing patinets and comparisons are made with the general population of the area serviced by the hospital. The sample consisted of 1,128 persons who entered Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Dade County, Florida during 1972. A profile of the typical admission for emergency care of a nonfatal overdose reveals a white female, who is 18 to 24 years old and who has overdosed on a single legally manufactured and distributed substance, usually a sedative. Implications from the data for changes in health care delivery for acute drug reactions are provided.