[New psychoactive substances in the prehospital setting].
Revue medicale suisse · 2026-08-19 · Other / unclear
Abstract
Over the recent years the emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) has brought increasing complexity to the management of intoxications. This evolution has resulted in highly heterogeneous clinical presentations, frequently occurring in the context of polysubstance use, making identification of the causative agent particularly challenging. In the prehospital setting, this issue is compounded by the frequent lack of reliable information regarding the substances consumed, time constraints inherent to emergency decision-making, and safety concerns for responders when confronted with agitated patients. The aim of this article is to propose a practical approach to improve the recognition and management of NPS intoxications in the prehospital setting.