Emergency department visits involving energy drinks on the rise: report

Washington – Emergency department visits tied to energy drinks more than doubled to 20,783 in 2011 from 10,068 in 2007, according to a new report (.pdf file) from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

An analysis of data from the agency’s Drug Abuse Warning Network showed 58 percent of energy drink-related emergency department visits involved only energy drinks, while 42 percent involved energy drinks in combination with alcohol, pharmaceuticals or other drugs.

Although most cases involved patients 18-39 years old, the largest increase was among people older than 40, for whom emergency department visits jumped to 5,233 in 2011 from 1,382 in 2007, the study stated.