Citation

Frey R, Schreinzer D, Stimpfl T, Vycudilik W, Berzlanovich A, Kasper S. Eur. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2000; 10(2): 133-142.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/s0924-977x(00)00055-9

PMID

10706996

Abstract

In the area of Vienna, any person dying under questionable circumstances is examined at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, where the cause of death is determined by means of autopsy and chemical analysis. Our study on fatal intoxications was performed in the period between 1991 and 1997, when selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were establishing themselves on the market, reaching the top of prescription statistics. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) were involved in 30 single- and 127 multiple-substance intoxications, with amitriptyline and doxepin being the most frequently used drugs. SSRIs were involved in five multiple-substance intoxications. The f-value, which refers to the number of deaths per million defined daily doses prescribed, was found to be significantly (P

Language: en

Keywords

Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic/poisoning; Antidepressive Agents/classification/*poisoning; Austria/epidemiology; Autopsy; Cause of Death; Drug Prescriptions; Forensic Medicine; Humans; Incidence; Poisoning/*epidemiology/mortality/prevention & control; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors/poisoning; Suicide Prevention; Suicide/*statistics & numerical data