Alcohol use by patients admitted to hospital emergency rooms for treatment of drug overdose and misuse.

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Abstract
Data collected from the medical records of 3548 patients admitted to metropolitan Toronto [Ontario, Canada] hospital emergency rooms from Jan.-June 1975 for treatment of drug problems indicated that 38% of the patients had also consumed alcohol. Alcohol use was positively associated with the use of benzodiazepines and barbiturates, singly and together, and negatively associated with salicylate use. Concomitant alcohol and drug use was more frequent among men than women and among urban than suburban patients and increased to age 50, declining after that. Patients who repeatedly misused drugs were more likely to have also drunk alcohol than were patients who intentially overdosed with a drug. Those who consumed alcohol with other drugs stayed in the emergency room longer but were less likely to be admitted as inpatients than were patients using drugs alone. In a substantial minority of patients the primary drug problem is alcohol, regardless of other drugs taken.

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