ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Risky alcohol consumption can occur from a young age and affects people of all age groups, sometimes requiring the intervention of the emergency medical services. OBJECTIVES: Determining the timing and characteristics of emergency calls (to the "118" emergency number) relating to subjects in all age groups, in which alcohol was a contributing factor, along with the biochemical correlates, in a great metropolitan area. On the basis of these, future interventions would target specific training for nurses and paramedics working in emergency medical services. METHOD: An observational single-centre retrospective study carried out from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2018 involving patients requiring emergency care and attending the Emergency Department of an University Hospital. RESULTS: Out of a total of 47,252 emergency calls, 2.22% were for alcohol-related conditions and mainly involved male patients (78.4%). A high incidence of alcoholic coma was found in patients aged 11 to 17 years. Emergency medical assistance was required mainly at night on weekdays by patients aged 11-17, 25-44 years and during the weekend and on weekdays by patients aged 18-24 years. A blood alcohol concentration higher than 50 mg/dL was found in more than 67% of patients aged 11-17 and 18-24 years at weekends. CONCLUSIONS: The most alarming finding from our data is that, despite prevention policies, young people requiring emergency medical assistance showed similar alcohol levels as adults and a high incidence of alcoholic coma.
