Mortality of opiate users in Vienna, Austria

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in overall and cause-specific mortality rates of opiate users in maintenanc e treatment and of opiate users not in any drug treatment program in Vienna , Austria. A cohort of opiate-users enrolled in maintenance treatment in Vi enna and a cohort of individuals involved in opiate-related emergencies fro m 1995 to 1997 were retrospectively analyzed. The standardized mortality ra te of opiate-users enrolled in maintenance treatment was 12.1 and that of i ndividuals involved in opiate-related emergencies was 48.8. Excess mortalit y was found for all categories for both groups. In the face of the extremel y high excess mortality of opiate users involved in opiate-related emergenc ies, measures have to be taken to get these individuals in drug treatment p rograms as soon as possible. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science: Ireland Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.