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
Yvonne Bonomo,Amanda Norman,Sam Biondo,Raimondo Bruno,Mark Daglish,Sharon Dawe,Diana Egerton-Warburton,Jonathan Karro,Charles C. Kim,Simon Lenton,Dan I. Lubman,Adam Pastor,Jill Rundle,John Ryan,Paul Gordon,Patrick Sharry,David J. Nutt,David J. Castle +17 more
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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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
Methamphetamine‐associated cardiomyopathy: patterns and predictors of recovery
TL;DR: A large number of patients are admitted with methamphetamine‐associated cardiomyopathy (MAC) and there are concerns about the long-term prognosis and the high potential for adverse events.
Journal ArticleDOI
Causes of Death of Patients with Methamphetamine Dependence: A Record-Linkage Study
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Journal ArticleDOI
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TL;DR: Australian cases of methamphetamine-related suicide retrieved from the National Coronial Information System were examined to determine crude mortality rates, characteristics and circumstances of death, and blood toxicology.
Journal ArticleDOI
Impaired physical health among methamphetamine users in comparison with the general population: the role of methamphetamine dependence and opioid use.
TL;DR: Methamphetamine users are more likely to report impaired physical health than the general population, but this impairment is specific to older methamphetamine users who are dependent on the drug, particularly those who are enrolled in opioid pharmacotherapy.