Las drogas de abuso como causa de ingreso en las unidades de cuidados intensivos en España

Editorial comment on: Amphetamine‐related intoxications in people living with HIV: An observational study in an emergency department in Barcelona (Spain) from 2018 to 2020

“…2 On the other hand, and from a more local point of view, the Spanish Research Network on Drugs in Hospital Emergency Departments, consisting of the EDs of 11 hospitals in Spain, reported that amphetamines or their derivatives were present in 25.5% of visits for drug use and GHB in 4.7%, 4 and that amphetamines were responsible for 2.3-2.5% of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. 5,6 Considering specifically people living with HIV, particularly men who have sex with men, the data show us high rates of habitual or recent (in the last year) consumption of drugs. 7 Similarly, the growing popularity of chemsex meetings, in which GHB and methamphetamine are commonly used (along with cocaine, poppers or ketamine), 8 means that EDs are providing increased assistance to patients who are under the influence of multiple substances, the exact type of which is sometimes unknown by both the user and the attending health workers, 9 with the consequent risk of a fatal outcome.…”

“…Thus, the hospital emergency departments (EDs) of the Euro‐DEN plus network have reported that gamma‐hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) was present in 11% of visits for acute drug toxicity and in 35% of admissions to intensive care for the same cause and that methamphetamine was identified in 2% of admissions 2 . On the other hand, and from a more local point of view, the Spanish Research Network on Drugs in Hospital Emergency Departments, consisting of the EDs of 11 hospitals in Spain, reported that amphetamines or their derivatives were present in 25.5% of visits for drug use and GHB in 4.7%, 4 and that amphetamines were responsible for 2.3–2.5% of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions 5,6 …”