A concerning trend emerged in Belgian hospitals: a cluster of intoxications linked to new psychoactive substances. Analysis of 39 cases confirmed the presence of a potent synthetic cathinone, akin to 'bath salts' or 'flakka'. Patients often experienced severe symptoms like aggression, frequently due to poly-drug use. This highlights the urgent need for information sharing to enhance healthcare responses to these complex intoxications.
When 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine (MDMA) is taken with alcohol, emergency department visits show higher odds of agitation, drowsiness, and vomiting compared to MDMA alone. Co-intoxication with other substances increases odds of bradycardia, psychosis, and coma. Mortality rates remain low across all groups. Female patients report less chest pain but more vomiting, headache, and hypotension than males. These variations suggest that physicians should consider both the type of co-intoxication and patient sex to optimize treatment.