[Fatalities in alcoholic intoxication in the aged]

In 1989, the blood-alcohol-concentration of 1545 elderly persons with an age of at least 60 years, who died suddenly or not of natural causes, was determined at the Institute for Legal Medicine in Hamburg. 238 autopsies were performed. In a total of 143, in 55 subjects of the autopsy series, a blood-alcohol-concentration over 0.05% was found. With growing age the number of positive blood-alcohol-analyses decreased. Twenty-two of the autopsied persons (40%) did not die of natural causes; among them were 11 accidents. Alcohol played a significant role in the fatal course of 8 cases; 15 subjects included in the autopsy series (27.3%) had been alcoholics. Preexisting cardiovascular and respiratory disease was diagnosed in most cases of natural death. The causal connection of alcohol, disease, and cause of death in the elderly is discussed.