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• The same person may be admitted more than once per year. In addition, more than
one secondary diagnosis may be made per case. In 2008, corrected for duplication,
the total amounted to 166 persons who were admitted at least once during that
year with amphetamine misuse or dependence as the main or secondary diagnosis.
Their average age was 29, and 73% were male. The peak age group is twenty to
twenty-four (23%).
• In 2007 and 2008 the LMR registered no cases of accidental poisoning, with amphetamines
as a secondary diagnosis (ICD-9 code E854.2).
Figure 5.5 Admissions to general hospitals related to amphetamine misuse and dependence from
1994
160
140
Number
136
145
120
108
100
80
60
40
20
29 29
23
46
80
33
69
25
66
21
61
29
58
36
70
29
63
30
40
82
45
88
39
56
54
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Amphetamine as main diagnosis
Amphetamine as secondary diagnosis
Number of diagnoses, not corrected for duplication of persons or more than one secondary diagnosis per
admission. ICD-9 codes: 304.4, 305.7 (appendix C). Ecstasy and amphetamines are registered under the
same codes. Source: Dutch Hospital Data, LMR, Prismant.
According to the national Injury Information System (LIS) of the consumer safety
association some 3,800 people annually receive emergency treatment in a hospital for
injury caused by an accident, violence or self-mutilation incident involving drugs use
(Valkenberg, 2009). The drugs involved are cannabis, cocaine, heroin, Ecstasy, amphetamine
and magic mushrooms. The data have been averaged for the period from 2004
through 2008 and are based on estimates for the whole country derived from data from
a representative sample of hospitals.
• Nine percent of drug victims report having used Ecstasy. If we count only those cases
for which the drug is known (65%), then Ecstasy accounts for 15% of all drug-related
cases treated in hospital emergency departments.
122 Netherlands National Drug Monitor - NDM Annual Report 2009