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Fatal illicit drug toxicity: mostly polysubstance OHCA

Toxicological and Clinical Characteristics of Fatal Cases in the Emerging Drugs Network of Australia—Victoria (EDNAV) Clinical Registry 2020–2025
Emergency Medicine Australasia · Added 15 September 2026

Case series of 46 deaths in Victoria's EDNAV toxicosurveillance registry (2020–2025) — 67% had out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, 91% were polysubstance with mixed stimulant–sedative patterns most common (methamphetamine 54%, heroin 52%), and hypoxic brain injury was the most frequent terminal complication.

Study type

Case series

Design

Retrospective observational case series from a state-wide toxicosurveillance registry

Participants

46 fatal cases (0.9% of 5,026 EDNAV presentations), Victoria 2020–2025

Main finding

89% male, median age 33 years; 67% had out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; 91% polysubstance (median 3 substances); methamphetamine (54%) and heroin (52%) most frequent detections; novel psychoactive substances 7.8% of detections; hypoxic brain injury the most common terminal complication (72%).

Caveat

Small case series limited to ED-presenting cases in one Australian state; survivor cases not analysed.

Bottom line

Context only

Learning goal

Recognise the clinical patterns and resuscitation priorities in young men with polysubstance drug toxicity.

More

• Topic: Toxicology
• Daily scan: 15 September 2026

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