Citation

Steentoft A, Kaa E, Simonsen KW, Kringsholm B, Worm K, Hansen AC, Toft J, Dragsholt C. Ugeskr. Laeger 1994; 156(42): 6215-6219.

Vernacular Title

Narkomandodsfald i Danmark. En retsmedicinsk undersogelse af narkomandodsfald

Affiliation

Københavns Universitet, Retsmedicinsk Institut, retskemisk afdeling.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Den Alm Danske Laegerforening)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7998361

Abstract

This study includes all deaths among drug addicts in the years 1991 (n = 219) and 1992 (n = 214) investigated at the three institutes of forensic medicine in Denmark. The results are compared with deaths among drug addicts in 1984-1985. The number of deaths among drug addicts increased by approximately 50% in 1991-1992 compared with 1984-1985. The increase was most significant among drug addicts over 35 years of age. The cause of death was intoxication in three-quarters of the cases in 1991-1992. In half of these cases heroin/morphine had caused death, while intoxications caused by methadone accounted for approximately 30% of the cases. In the metropolitan area the frequency of methadone intoxications increased significantly compared with 1984-1985, whereas the number of heroin/morphine intoxications did not change. Outside the metropolitan area, however, a significant increase in heroin/morphine intoxications was noticed. In all parts of the country the number of propoxyphene intoxications decreased to a few annual cases. The most commonly used drugs of abuse were heroin/morphine, diazepam and methadone, often in combination with alcohol.

Language: da