Phanerothyme
16-12-2004, 10:24
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Please find below an urgent early warning and request for information from the Dutch European Union National Focal Point concerning intoxications with cocaine adulterated with atropine. As it seems the phenomenon is not confined to one country but to several so there is a possibility that intoxications might occur in other (not only neighbouring) countries.
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On December 8, the national Health Care Inspectorate reported eight hospital admissions in Lelystad (a town located in the middle of the Netherlands, close to Amsterdam) because of serious symptoms of intoxication following the use of cocaine (HCL). The patients presented with, among others, psychotic symptoms and severe mydriasis. Toxicological analysis revealed that the symptoms were due to cocaine adulterated with atropine
(concentration: 42% cocaine, 35% atropine).
A few days later, in the weekend of 11/12 December, another 6 persons were hospitalised in the South of the Netherlands (Roosendaal) with identical symptoms. Results of the toxicological analysis are not available, but the clinical picture strongly resembles that of a cocaine/atropine intoxication.
We have also been notified about the incidence of 16 cocaine/atropine intoxications in Italy, including one fatal case (see http://www.eco.bg.it/EcoOnLine/CRONACA/2004/12/04_cocaina.shtml). Moreover, we just received information from the Belgian Focal Point that a person contacted the Belgian Drug Help Line (on 7 December) about strange effects following cocaine use. These effects also strongly resemble that of a cocaine/atropine intoxication.
Please find below an urgent early warning and request for information from the Dutch European Union National Focal Point concerning intoxications with cocaine adulterated with atropine. As it seems the phenomenon is not confined to one country but to several so there is a possibility that intoxications might occur in other (not only neighbouring) countries.
------------------------
On December 8, the national Health Care Inspectorate reported eight hospital admissions in Lelystad (a town located in the middle of the Netherlands, close to Amsterdam) because of serious symptoms of intoxication following the use of cocaine (HCL). The patients presented with, among others, psychotic symptoms and severe mydriasis. Toxicological analysis revealed that the symptoms were due to cocaine adulterated with atropine
(concentration: 42% cocaine, 35% atropine).
A few days later, in the weekend of 11/12 December, another 6 persons were hospitalised in the South of the Netherlands (Roosendaal) with identical symptoms. Results of the toxicological analysis are not available, but the clinical picture strongly resembles that of a cocaine/atropine intoxication.
We have also been notified about the incidence of 16 cocaine/atropine intoxications in Italy, including one fatal case (see http://www.eco.bg.it/EcoOnLine/CRONACA/2004/12/04_cocaina.shtml). Moreover, we just received information from the Belgian Focal Point that a person contacted the Belgian Drug Help Line (on 7 December) about strange effects following cocaine use. These effects also strongly resemble that of a cocaine/atropine intoxication.