Glass vials of adrenaline stolen from a Rotorua Hospital ward have the Lakes District Health Board concerned as they could be fatal if misused.
Police are investigating the theft of 10 glass vials each containing one milligram of adrenaline, from the orthopaedic ward at Rotorua Hospital mid Sunday afternoon.
The adrenaline was taken from the emergency trolley in the ward. These trolleys have a seal on the contents, and in the event of a medical emergency such as cardiac or respiratory arrest, staff break the seal to access the contents of the trolley.
The trolleys are an essential item of equipment in each ward, clearly marked and able to be accessed by any staff to help a patient in distress.
The District Health Board chief medical officer Dr Martin Thomas said use of the adrenaline could cause someone's heart to beat very rapidly and in some cases stop entirely.
Anyone offered glass vials of adrenaline are warned they may be risking their life by using the drug.
If you know anything about this incident or find the vials of adrenaline, please contact the police.