[Voluntary drug poisoning: epidemiology, performance and limits of the emergency laboratory]

The aim of this study is to determine the efficiency ot toxicologic screening (detection of barbiturates, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, salicylates, phenothiazines, meprobamate and ethanol assay), during acute drug poisoning. In 1988, 898 patients are enclose in this study. Screenings are negative in 17% of cases; benzodiazepines, alcohol and antidepressants are often found. The recovery is very good for barbiturates and salicylates but it's not perfect for benzodiazepines, particularly flunitrazepam triazolam, loflazepate, oxazepam, and non tricyclic antidepressants. This failure probably depends on these emergency methods.