Citation

Dukes PD, Robinson GM, Thomson KJ, Robinson BJ. N. Zeal. Med. J. 1992; 105(927): 25-27.

Affiliation

Wellington Drug and Alcohol Centre.

Erratum On

N Z Med J 1992 Apr 8;105(931):135

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, New Zealand Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1538857

Abstract

Coronal autopsy reports attributing deaths to drugs or poisonings were examined for the period 1970-89. There were 239 deaths of which 69% were suicide, 23% were accidental, 4% therapeutic misadventure, and 4% of uncertain category. 10.4% of deaths were due solely to alcohol and alcohol was found in another 13% of deaths from other drugs and poisons corrected.. Twenty-seven percent of deaths were attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning. Five percent of deaths were due to poisons. Prescription drugs were the cause of deaths in 54% with the principle drug classes being opioids (14%), tricyclic antidepressants (12%), barbiturates (11%), hypnosedatives (8%). Prescribers need to be aware of the interactions of such drugs with alcohol, and to consider safer alternative drugs for those at risk of overdose or drug misuse.

Language: en