Toxicology findings in suicides: Concentrations of ethanol and other drugs in femoral blood in victims of hanging and poisoning in relation to age and gender of the deceased
| Autor: | Alan Wayne Jones, Johan Ahlner, Anita Holmgren |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2013 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male Drug media_common.quotation_subject Poison control Citalopram Suicide prevention Pathology and Forensic Medicine Neck Injuries Toxicology Asphyxia Forensic Toxicology Young Adult Age Distribution Injury prevention medicine Humans Sex Distribution Alimemazine Aged Retrospective Studies media_common Sweden Zopiclone Ethanol business.industry Poisoning Central Nervous System Depressants General Medicine Middle Aged Antidepressive Agents Suicide Female business Law Diazepam Antipsychotic Agents medicine.drug |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine. 20:842-847 |
| ISSN: | 1752-928X |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jflm.2013.06.027 |
| Popis: | Over-consumption of alcohol and/or abuse of other drugs are closely linked to attempted or completed suicides. In this retrospective 10-year study (2001-2010), we compared the toxicology findings in hanging suicides (n = 4551) with drug poisoning (intoxication) suicides (n = 2468). The mean age of hanging deaths was 49 ± 19 y (±SD) and 80% were male, compared with a mean age of 52 ± 17 y and 47% males for the intoxication deaths. Poly-drug use was more common in poisoning suicides with an average of 3.6 drugs/case compared with 1.8 drugs/case in hangings. Moreover, 31% of hangings were negative for alcohol and/or drugs. Alcohol was detected (>0.20 g/L) in femoral blood in 30% of hanging suicides (mean 1.39 g/L) and 36% of drug poisonings (mean 1.39 g/L). The median BACs did not depend on the person's age or gender (p > 0.05). Ethanol, paracetamol, citalopram, diazepam, propiomazine, alimemazine and zopiclone were amongst the top-ten drugs detected in both methods of suicide. With the exception of ethanol, the concentrations of drugs in blood were considerably higher in the poisoning deaths, as might be expected. Regardless of the method of suicide, antidepressants and/or antipsychotics were common findings, which could implicate mental health as a significant suicide risk factor. Language: en |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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