Journal ArticleDOI
Rates, characteristics and circumstances of methamphetamine-related death in Australia: a national 7-year study.
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TLDR
While toxicity was the most frequent cause, natural disease, suicide and accident comprised more than half of deaths, and methamphetamine death rates doubled in Australia from 2009 to 2015.Abstract:
Aims
To (1) assess trends in the number and mortality rates of methamphetamine-related death in Australia, 2009–15; (2) assess the characteristics and the cause, manner and circumstances of death; and (3) assess the blood methamphetamine concentrations and the presence of other drugs in methamphetamine-related death.
Design
Analysis of cases of methamphetamine-related death retrieved from the National Coronial Information System (NCIS).
Setting
Australia.
Cases
All cases in which methamphetamine was coded in the NCIS database as a mechanism contributing to death (n = 1649).
Measurements
Information was collected on cause and manner of death, demographics, location, circumstances of death and toxicology.
Findings
The mean age of cases was 36.9 years, and 78.4% were male. The crude mortality rate was 1.03 per 100 000. The rate increased significantly over time (P < 0.001), and at 2015 the mortality rate was 1.8 [confidence interval (CI) = 1.2–2.4] times that of 2009. Deaths were due to accidental drug toxicity (43.2%), natural disease (22.3%), suicide (18.2%), other accident (14.9%) and homicide (1.5%). In 40.8% of cases, death occurred outside the major capital cities. The median blood methamphetamine concentration was 0.17 mg/l, and cases in which only methamphetamine was detected had higher concentrations than other cases (0.30 versus 0.15 mg/l, P < 0.001). The median blood methamphetamine concentration varied within a narrow range (0.15–0.20 mg/l) across manner of death. In the majority (82.8%) of cases, substances other than methamphetamine were detected, most frequently opioids (43.1%) and hypnosedatives (38.0%).
Conclusions
Methamphetamine death rates doubled in Australia from 2009 to 2015. While toxicity was the most frequent cause, natural disease, suicide and accident comprised more than half of deaths.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Methamphetamine Use and Cardiovascular Disease
Christopher G. Kevil,Nicholas E. Goeders,Matthew D. Woolard,Md. Shenuarin Bhuiyan,Paari Dominic,Gopi K. Kolluru,Connie L. Arnold,James G. Traylor,A. Wayne Orr +8 more
TL;DR: The current literature on methamphetamine-induced changes in cardiovascular health is examined, the potential mechanisms regulating these varied effects are discussed, and deficiencies in understanding how to treat methamphetamine-associated cardiovascular dysfunction are highlighted.
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Increases in methamphetamine use among heroin treatment admissions in the United States, 2008–17
TL;DR: Methamphetamine use among heroin treatment admissions in the United States increased from 1 in 50 primary heroin treatment admitted in 2008 to 1 in 12 admissions in 2017, a relative percentage increase of 490% and an annual percent change (APC) of 23.4% (p<0.001).
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Treatment of stimulant use disorder: A systematic review of reviews.
Claire Ronsley,Seonaid Nolan,Rod Knight,Kanna Hayashi,Jano Klimas,Alexander Y. Walley,Alexander Y. Walley,Evan Wood,Nadia Fairbairn +8 more
TL;DR: There was sufficient evidence to support the efficacy of contingency management programs for treatment of stimulant use disorder, but psychostimulants, n-acetylcysteine, opioid agonist therapy, disulfiram and antidepressant pharmacological interventions were found to have insufficient evidence tosupport or discount their use.
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The Australian drug harms ranking study
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TL;DR: Overall, alcohol was the most harmful drug when harm to users and harm to others was combined, followed by cigarettes, crystal methamphetamine, cannabis, heroin and pharmaceutical opioids.
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Pharmacotherapy for methamphetamine/amphetamine use disorder-a systematic review and meta-analysis
Brian Chan,Michele Freeman,Karli Kondo,Chelsea Ayers,Jessica Montgomery,Robin Paynter,Devan Kansagara +6 more
TL;DR: On the basis of low to moderate strength evidence, most medications evaluated for methamphetamine/amphetamine use disorder have not shown a statistically significant benefit, however, there is low strength evidence that methylphenidate may reduce use.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
The emergence of potent forms of methamphetamine in Sydney, Australia: a case study of the IDRS as a strategic early warning system
TL;DR: Data from different components of the IDRS are utilized to propose that there are currently at least three forms of methamphetamine available in Sydney that are considered by the market to be distinct commodities: methamphetamine powder, base methamphetamine and crystalline methamphetamine.
Journal ArticleDOI
Mortality and cause of death among 1705 illicit drug users: A 37 year follow up
TL;DR: Accidents and suicide are two common causes of death that might be prevented by increased awareness in medical personnel, along with better treatment and supportive measures, in a large cohort of users of illicit drugs in Stockholm over 37 years.
Journal ArticleDOI
Estimating the number of regular and dependent methamphetamine users in Australia, 2002-2014.
Louisa Degenhardt,Sarah Larney,Gary C. K. Chan,Timothy Dobbins,Megan Weier,Amanda Roxburgh,Wayne Hall,Rebecca McKetin +7 more
TL;DR: The number of regular and dependent methamphetamine users in Australia is estimated to be between 1,000 and 2,000 per year, depending on whether they are regular or dependent on the drug.
Journal ArticleDOI
The relationship between suicide and heroin overdose among methadone maintenance patients in Sydney, Australia
Shane Darke,Joanne Ross +1 more
TL;DR: Attempted suicide presents a major clinical problem to staff at drug treatment programmes, but one distinct from heroin overdose, while both overdose and suicide present increasing clinical problems, they are separate problems, and require different responses.
Journal ArticleDOI
Mortality among amphetamine users: a systematic review of cohort studies.
TL;DR: Given the widespread use of amphetamines, the known non-fatal adverse effects of use and the mortality rates reported here, cohort studies investigating the morbidity and mortality associated with such drug use should be a research priority.