The Netherlands Drug Situation 2010 - Trimbos-instituut

Figure 5.3.4: Number of admissions to general hospitals related to dependence on, ornondependent abuse of, opiates, cannabis, cocaine, and amphetamines, asprimary diagnosis (left) or secondary diagnosis (right), from 1998 to 2009Primary diagnosisSecondary diagnosis80080070070060060050050040040030030020020010010001998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 200901998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009Opiates Cannabis Cocaine AmphetaminesOpiates Cannabis Cocaine AmphetaminesSource: Dutch Hospital Data (DHD), LMR; Kiwa Prismant.TrendsThe number of admissions related to drug abuse or dependence as a primary diagnosisremained rather low over the past years. Minor increases were seen for cannabis (from57 in 2008 to 75 in 2009) and amphetamines (54 in 2008 and 73 in 2009). A strongerincrease was observed for the number of admissions with drugs as a secondary diagnosis.Between 2006 and 2009 the number of admissions increased from 514 to 637 forcocaine, from 476 to 580 for opiates, from 377 to 520 for cannabis, and from 88 to 127admissions for amphetamines.Table 5.3.1 gives some more details about hospital admissions related to the main drugsof abuse. In accordance with the data from the addiction treatment services, the average ageof the hospital patients was the highest for the opiates patients and the lowest for thecannabis and the amphetamines patients. For the primary diagnoses, the average number of days for staying in the hospitalwas the highest for opiates, followed by cannabis, cocaine, and amphetamines. Forthe secondary diagnoses, cannabis was clearly in the lead for the average number ofdays in the hospital, followed by opiates, amphetamines, and cocaine. No explanationhas been found yet for this pattern that has re-occurred over the past years. All in all,most days in hospital have been spent on cannabis patients (8,072 days), followed bythe opiates patients (6,519 days), cocaine patients (5,785 days), and amphetaminespatients (1,311 days).76