Characteristics of patients admitted to hospital for accidental opioid overdose, 2006–2015
| Characteristic | Admission n (%) | Readmission n (%) |
| Hospitalisations | 2433 | 121 |
| Type of opioid overdose | ||
| Opium | 8 (0.3) | 0 |
| Heroin | 419 (17.2) | 15 (12.4) |
| Methadone | 401 (16.5) | 26 (21.5) |
| Synthetic opioids* | 123 (5.1) | 7 (5.8) |
| Other opioids† | 1101 (45.3) | 46 (38.0) |
| Unspecified/other opioids | 515 (21.2) | 34 (28.1) |
| Sex | ||
| Female | 1134 (46.6) | 54 (44.6) |
| Male | 1299 (53.4) | 67 (55.4) |
| Age (years) | ||
| <10 | 36 (1.5) | 0 |
| 10–19 | 80 (3.3) | <5 |
| 20–29 | 371 (15.2) | 16 (13.2) |
| 30–39 | 411 (16.9) | 19 (15.7) |
| 40–49 | 415 (17.1) | 15 (12.4) |
| 50–59 | 477 (19.6) | 21 (17.4) |
| 60–69 | 329 (13.5) | 36 (29.8) |
| 70–79 | 186 (7.6) | 10 (8.3) |
| ≥80 | 128 (5.3) | <5 |
| Low income | 719 (29.6) | 35 (28.9) |
| Rural residence | 325 (13.4) | 17 (14.1) |
| Substance use disorders‡ | ||
| Opioids | 192 (7.9) | 25 (20.7) |
| Sedatives and hypnotics | 22 (0.9) | <5 |
| Stimulants | 112 (4.6) | 9 (7.4) |
| Other | 395 (16.2) | 35 (28.9) |
| Romano comorbidity score‡ | ||
| 0 | 1380 (56.7) | 54 (44.6) |
| 1–2 | 723 (29.7) | 40 (33.1) |
| ≥3 | 330 (13.6) | 27 (22.3) |
| Other medical history‡ | ||
| Psychiatric illness | 931 (38.3) | 58 (47.9) |
| Pneumonia | 224 (9.2) | 27 (22.3) |
| Other respiratory illness | 473 (19.4) | 35 (28.9) |
| HIV | 42 (1.7) | <5 |
| Hepatitis C | 33 (1.4) | <5 |
| Cancer | 172 (7.1) | 11 (9.1) |
| Opioid prescription history§ | ||
| Methadone | 29 (1.2) | <5 |
| Buprenorphine/naloxone | 30 (1.2) | <5 |
| High-dose opioid for pain | 569 (23.4) | 33 (27.3) |
| No use of opioids for pain | 1097 (45.1) | 50 (41.3) |
| Other prescription history§ | ||
| Sedatives and hypnotics | 571 (23.5) | 37 (30.6) |
| Stimulants | 63 (2.6) | <5 |
Types of opioid overdose correspond to ICD-10 T40.0-T40.4 and T40.6 (some overdoses appear in >1 category). Readmissions are defined as additional accidental opioid overdose admissions within 365 days of prior admission.
*Includes buprenorphine, fentanyl, pethidine and tramadol.
†Includes codeine, hydromorphone, morphine and oxycodone.
‡Based on diagnoses at a physician or hospital visit in the 365 days before opioid overdose.
§Based on dispensings in the 180 days prior to opioid overdose. High-dose opioid use is defined by a dispensing of opioid pain medication of >90 oral morphine equivalents per day. Small cell sizes are denoted as '<5' or 0 as applicable.