DOCTORS WARN ON DANGER OF HEROIN-ALCOHOL MIX

Many heroin users take heroin along with other drugs such as alcohol,
increasing their risk of a fatal overdose, Melbourne doctors have warned.

Emergency specialists expressed concern at the growing phenomenon, which
they described as "poly drug abuse," as the state's heroin death toll
continues to rise.

The warning comes after an analysis of treatments at StVincent's Hospital
emergency department for intravenous drug-related problems, including
overdoses.

The four-month study, conducted by a fifth-year medical student from July
to October last year, found nearly one in four intravenous drug users
treated in emergency had both injected and swallowed drugs.

Associate Professor Peter Cameron, of the Australasian College for
Emergency Medicine, warned that heroin mixed with alcohol or sedatives
worsened the impact of respiratory depression on the body.

Professor Cameron, who is also the director of emergency at the Royal
Melbourne Hospital, said: "It's dangerous to take heroin at any time, but
it makes it more dangerous when you are on these other drugs too. You only
have to stop breathing for four or five minutes and you are dead."

Heroin was the most commonly used intravenous drug in the St Vincent's
study, accounting for 56 per cent of cases.

A number of patients were treated for complications caused by intravenous
drug use, such as serious bacterial infections, drug associated
side-effects and vascular problems.

Sixty-four per cent of cases were rated urgent or worse by hospital
emergency staff.

In total, 184 patients were treated in the hospital's emergency department
for intravenous drug use, an average of 1.5 patients a day.

Other findings include:

The average age of intravenous drug-using patients was 26.4.

The patients ranged in age from 16 to 45 years.

Nearly two out of three patients were men.

About 10 per cent of cases needed immediate resuscitation.