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Poisonings due to new psychoactive substance abuse reported to the Croatian Poison Control Centre in 2008-2015

To identify information required by healthcare professionals regarding symptomatology and treatment of new psychoactive substance (NPS) poisonings, 8-year records of the Croatian Poison Control Centre (PCC) were examined and cases were analysed for patient characteristics and poisoning circumstances. There were 70 incidents involving NPS abuse (synthetic cannabinoids, GHB, ketamine, ecstasy). The numbers gradually increased, from only 1 case recorded in 2008 to 39 cases in 2015. Overall, the majority of NPS poisonings happened in summertime (29 cases, 41 %). Synthetic cannabinoids were the most prevalent NPS (44 cases, 63 %). In 20 cases (29 %) two or more NPS were consumed, or NPS was combined with other drugs of abuse, pharmaceuticals or alcohol. Men (76 % of cases) were three times more often involved than women (24 %). The median age was 17 years (range 10-42 years) in 83 % of patients with a known exact age. Most common routes of exposure were inhalation (56 % of cases) and ingestion (36 %). Among the cases with known clinical presentation (68 cases), only mild symptoms were reported in most instances (45 cases, 66 %). However, in 21 cases (31 %) symptoms were serious (coma, severe aggressiveness and abnormal vital signs). In 2014, one 31-year old man died after smoking “air freshener” Galaxy which probably contained synthetic cannabinoids. The noted increased incidenceof NPS poisonings and the possibility for serious health effects stress the need for preventive strategies, which should focus on adolescents due to the worrisome finding that they account for almost half of all PCC cases.

Croatia ; Poison Control Center ; recreational drugs ; report ; substance abuse

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