Citation

Geith S, Eyer F. Nervenheilkd. 2022; 41(4): 246-252.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Georg Thieme Verlag)

DOI

10.1055/a-1758-8133

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Knowledge of characteristics of suicidally intended self-poisonings as well as factors associated with a repeated suicide attempt is extremely valuable for the identification of potential risk patients and constellations. Therefore, in a prospective observational study, data of 1238 patients with suicidal intoxications for whom our Poison Control Centre was contacted were collected and analyzed over a period of 12 months. The information collected includes demographic data as well as information on symptoms, substances taken or their source, somatic-psychiatric comorbidities, previous suicide attempts, presence of a substance use disorder and co-ingestion of alcohol or illicit drugs. 53 % of the patients were between 18 and 44 years old, 66 % were female. 79 % of the patients suffered from a psychiatric disorder, 45 % had had at least one suicide attempt. Patients with a psychiatric disorder most frequently used antidepressants and neuroleptics, while patients without a psychiatric history predominantly used peripheral analgesics, especially ibuprofen. Compared to patients with a first event, those with repeated suicide attempts were more likely to have a psychiatric disorder, or a substance use disorder and preferentially ingested antidepressants and neuroleptics, but less frequently peripheral analgesics. In addition to the identification of characteristics of deliberate self-poisonings, the presence of a psychiatric disease, of a substance use disorder and the ingestion of antidepressants or neuroleptics could be detected as risk factors for a repeated suicide attempt, on the basis of which individual preventive measures for risk groups can be developed. © 2022. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Language: de

Keywords

Suicide; suicide prevention; intoxication; self-poisoning