Citation

Bystrzycki A, Coleridge J. Emerg. Med. (ACEM-ASEM) 2000; 12(4): 303-309.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1046/j.1442-2026.2000.00152.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To audit deaths due to prescription or illicit drugs, alcohols or poisons (hereafter referred to as 'drugs') occurring in Victoria in 1997 and to examine the classes of drug causing death.

METHOD: Retrospective review of all deaths reported to the Victorian State Coroner in 1997 in which toxicological investigation was undertaken and drugs were determined to have caused death. Deaths due to heroin and carbon monoxide were separately audited by the Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology and are excluded from this paper.

RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-three people died with an average age of 41 years. The most frequent cause of death was combined drug overdose (64 cases, 37%). Ethanol was the commonest single drug causing death (32 cases, 18%), followed by prescribed opiates (18 cases, 10%) and tricyclic antidepressants (15 cases, 9%). Four teenagers died while inhaling butane or propane. In 14 cases (8%), toxic levels of selective serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor antidepressants were found in combination with drugs known to produce fatal drug interactions.

CONCLUSIONS: Drug overdose remains a common cause of death. Prescribed opiates and ethanol are most frequently associated with death, followed by the older and more dangerous antidepressant medications. The newer selective serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitors may not be as safe as was initially proposed.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescent; adult; aged; alcohol; Alcoholic intoxication; article; Australia; butane; cause of death; chlorpromazine; codeine; combination chemotherapy; depression; dextropropoxyphene; dosulepin; drug overdose; drug safety; female; flunitrazepam; fluvoxamine; human; human cell; human tissue; imipramine; intoxication; major clinical study; male; methadone; mianserin; moclobemide; morphine; nitrazepam; opiate; Overdose; oxycodone; paracetamol; paroxetine; priority journal; propane; serotonin uptake inhibitor; sertraline; Substance abuse; Suicide; temazepam; thioridazine; tricyclic antidepressant agent; trimipramine; unindexed drug; venlafaxine