Stimulant Overdose Deaths Surge After ER Discharge

A retrospective cohort study tracked patients discharged after stimulant toxicity and found elevated one-year mortality.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Substance Abuse

Stimulant Overdose Deaths Surge After ER Discharge

Live Poll

Do you think local hospitals do enough to prevent overdoses after emergency visits?

A retrospective cohort study found that 2.1% of patients discharged from the emergency department after stimulant toxicity died within one year. The study analyzed records of 2,356 patients discharged between 2018 and 2023 and was published online October 23, 2026.

Why it matters

The one-year mortality rate was approximately 14 times higher than that of people of similar age in the general population, highlighting the lasting risk faced by patients after an emergency visit. The findings point to a need for follow-up care and overdose prevention for people treated for stimulant toxicity in Wisconsin and across the Midwest.

Methamphetamines and amphetamines accounted for 54% of index diagnoses and cocaine for 24%, with overdose causing about two thirds of deaths. Opioids contributed to more than half of overdose-related deaths in the cohort.

The players

American Journal of Emergency Medicine

A peer-reviewed medical journal that publishes research on emergency medicine practice and clinical outcomes.

The details

Researchers identified stimulant toxicity using ICD-10 codes for cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, and related substances, and determined causes of death from state death records. The median time from emergency department visit to death was 118 days, and the median age of decedents at the index visit was 35 years.

2018 to 2023: Patient records analyzed for the retrospective cohort study.
October 23, 2026: Study published online in American Journal of Emergency Medicine.

Roadmap

The study's 6.9% one-year mortality benchmark for opioid toxicity provides a point of comparison for stimulant-related risk. Stimulant-related harm is being measured against the better-established opioid overdose research base.

Patients treated in an emergency department for stimulant toxicity face a meaningful risk of death in the following year, so follow-up with addiction and mental health services is important. Discussing overdose prevention and naloxone access with a clinician after an ED visit may reduce that risk.

The takeaway

Stimulant toxicity is not a low-risk emergency: patients discharged after treatment should be connected to ongoing care. Asking a clinician about follow-up support after an ED visit can help protect long-term health.