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Self-poisoning in Newcastle, 1987-1992
N A Buckley1, I M Whyte, A H Dawson
1Discipline of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Newcastle, NSW.
The Medical Journal of Australia
|February 20, 1995
Summary
Drug overdose deaths, particularly from antidepressants and opioids, often occur outside hospitals. Prevention strategies and safer drug alternatives are crucial for reducing self-poisoning mortality.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Public Health
- Pharmacovigilance
Background:
- Self-poisoning represents a significant public health concern.
- Understanding drug class-specific morbidity and mortality is vital for effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the morbidity and mortality linked to self-poisoning across various drug classes.
- To identify trends in substance use for self-poisoning over time.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study with retrospective coronial data analysis.
- Data collected from a tertiary referral toxicology center in Australia (1987-1992).
Main Results:
- 1969 admissions involved 3724 substances; 83 drug-related deaths were investigated.
- Benzodiazepine use decreased, while antidepressant use increased in self-poisoning cases.
- Tricyclic antidepressants and opioid analgesics were implicated in over 50% of deaths.
Conclusions:
- Mortality interventions should prioritize prevention and target frequently used or lethal drugs.
- Safer antidepressant alternatives should be considered.
- Discourage the use of barbiturates, chloral hydrate, and certain antidepressants as sedatives.