Fatalities associated with the use of gamma-hydroxybutyrate and its analogues in Australasia

• Published in: Medical journal of Australia Vol. 181; no. 6; p. 310
• Main Authors: Caldicott, David G E, Chow, Fiona Y, Burns, Brian J, Felgate, Peter D, Byard, Roger W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia 20.09.2004
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Australia - epidemiology; Cause of Death; Central Nervous System Depressants - poisoning; Drug Overdose; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Registries; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sex Distribution; Sodium Oxybate - administration & dosage; Sodium Oxybate - poisoning; Substance-Related Disorders - etiology; Substance-Related Disorders - mortality; Australia
• ISSN: 0025-729X
• DOI: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06295.x

To identify deaths in Australasia associated with overdose of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and its precursors (gamma-butyrolactone and 1,4-butanediol). A retrospective search of medical and scientific information sources, as well as popular newsprint, for the period January 2000-August 2003, with formal clinical, toxicological and forensic evaluation of retrieved data. Death associated with forensic data implicating GHB or its analogues. Ten confirmed GHB-associated deaths were identified, with eight considered to be directly attributable to GHB. Only two of these eight cases were positive for ethanol toxicology. Our study supports the existing evidence that GHB overdose is associated with fatalities, and that fatal overdoses occur in the context of isolated use.