Objective 

The mortality rate from heroin overdose in Italy between 1977 and 1987 increased significantly. However, in the same period, a significant increase was not observed in Tuscany, an administrative region in Italy. This study was performed to determine if the prehospital emergency medical system of Florence, the capital of Tuscany (the only one operating in Italy during the study period), affected this lower mortality rate.

Design 

Retrospective study.

Setting 

The Florence system consists of 17 mobile ICUs, each of which is staffed by a physician and three paramedics. These units are able to carry out advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation with equipment transported to the scene of an emergency.

Patients 

A total of 126 consecutive patients with heroin overdose, assisted by four mobile ICUs from January 1, 1984 through December 31, 1987.

Interventions 

Common therapeutic protocol in the treatment of heroin overdose and of cardiac arrest.

Results 

Fifty-two (41.3%) patients were in respiratory arrest, and seven (5.6%) patients were in cardiorespiratory arrest. The prehospital mortality rate was 1.6%, the inhospital mortality rate was 0.8%, and the overall mortality rate was 2.4%. During the period considered, the number of heroin overdose-related interventions increased significantly, as did the number of heroin overdoses complicated by respiratory arrest or by cardiorespiratory arrest, but the mortality rate remained low.

Conclusion 

We suggest that an emergency medical system can play an important role in reducing the mortality rate from heroin overdose.