A clinical study of an epidemic of heroin intoxication and heroin-induced pulmonary edema

Joel L. Duberstein, David Myland Kaufman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

108 Scopus citations

Abstract

An epidemic of heroin overdose is described which occurred over a seventeen-month period and involved 149 patients who were predominately young, black or Puerto Rican males. The major complications were pulmonary edema (48 per cent), pneumonia (30 per cent), cardiac arrhythmias (4 per cent) and death (8.7 per cent). Hypoxia appeared to be the cause of the pulmonary edema and cardiac arrhythmias. A treatment protocol is outlined with emphasis on the need for oxygen therapy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)704-714
Number of pages11
JournalThe American Journal of Medicine
Volume51
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1971
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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