DryOutNow.com can is the leading online provider of free medical information about alcoholism and alcohol addiction issues.

We provide alcohol services for people with alcohol problems, their friends and their relatives. All advice is free of charge and given by qualified professionals in alcohol treatment.

You can receive independent, expert advice on alcohol rehabilitation and treatment by telephoning DryOutNow.com on 0845 370 0203

New guidelines have been written which will assist nightclub staff in deciding whether to call ambulances for unwell clubbers.

The proposed guidelines were co-written by medics, police officers and bar owners and are published in BioMed Central's open access journal Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy. Many clubs have designated 'club medic' rooms where individuals with recreational drug toxicity can be assessed and managed. According to the study's coordinator and consultant physician and clinical toxicologist Dr. David Wood from Guy's and St Thomas' Poisons Unit at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust: "In the past, club owners and promoters have been reluctant to call an ambulance for clubbers with recreational drug toxicity because of concerns that this could affect their license".

Dr. Wood describes his research as aiming "to work with key stakeholders in the pre-hospital setting to develop strategies to improve pre-hospital care for these clubbers. This includes developing ambulance-transfer guidelines and the training of 'club medic' staff".

The research team visited club medic rooms in various London nightclubs to assess the resources available and the medical training of the club medic staff.

The guidelines were then developed to advise club medics to call an ambulance if the patient meets any of ten defined criteria, including: being unresponsive; chest pain similar to a heart attack; or high blood pressure/heart rate/temperature. 'If in doubt, call an ambulance' is the last point in the guide. The guidelines were audited and revised using feedback from club medic staff. The authors also ran training in the use of the guidelines and in the management of recreational drug toxicity.

Previous studies by these authors have found the main drugs associated with ill health amongst clubbers in the area studied were GHB and stimulants such as ecstasy and cocaine. Typical effects of GHB include significant depression of central nervous function and respiration and effects seen with stimulant use include high temperature, heart-rate, blood pressure.

Dr. Wood added: "The guidelines we have described are designed to ensure that individuals with significant toxicity in these categories are easily identified and that an ambulance is called so that they receive appropriate and timely assessment and management in a hospital environment."

‘Improvement in the pre-hospital care of recreational drug users through the development of club specific ambulance referral guidelines' is published in Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy.

Article published on 16/06/2008 by DryOutNow.com

DryOutNow.com provides highly practical help for people with alcohol problems, their friends and relatives. If you are a professional in need of help for yourself or for others, DryOutNow.com will deal with your request with sensitivity whilst formulating a care plan taking into account your special circumstances.

• New NHS guidelines on recreational drugs in nightclubs ...... read
• Treatment centres urged to open doors during Misuse and Addictions Week ...... read
• Support available for Scottish drug recovery programme ...... read
• National Drugs strategy launched in Scotland ...... read
• Drinkers do not understand units ...... read
• Campaign launched to inform drinkers about alcohol units ...... read
• Government of Canada Delivering Critical Treatment Initiatives ...... read
• Concern over cannabis reclassification ...... read
• Community projects cut alcohol disorder, shows research ...... read
• New recommendations could halt plans for re-classification of cannabis ...... read
• Figures show increase in hospital alcohol admissions ...... read
• Call for better treatment of drug addicts ...... read
• Funds for Scotland to tackle alcohol abuse ...... read
• 60,000 doctors to tackle alcohol abuse in the UK ...... read
• Report criticises imprisonment of drug addicts ...... read
• Doctors praise alcohol tax increases ...... read
• Calls for drink-driving limit reduction ...... read
• Budget sees alcohol prices rocket ...... read
• Above-inflation tax rises set to hit alcohol sales ...... read
• Crackdown on binge drinking in Fife ...... read

• New NHS guidelines on recreational drugs in nightclubs ...... read
• NIDA Explores Exercise as Drug Abuse Prevention Tool ...... read
• New research on Substance Abuse and Bipolar Adolescents ...... read
• Impulsivity could be a key focus for future drug treatment ...... read
• Breakthrough in Alcohol Addiction Treatment ...... read