@article{ref1,
title="Wellington coroner autopsy cases 1970-89: acute deaths due to drugs, alcohol and poisons",
journal="New Zealand medical journal",
year="1992",
author="Dukes, P. D. and Robinson, G. M. and Thomson, K. J. and Robinson, B. J.",
volume="105",
number="927",
pages="25-27",
abstract="Coronal autopsy reports attributing deaths to drugs or poisonings were examined for the period 1970-89. There were 239 deaths of which 69% were suicide, 23% were accidental, 4% therapeutic misadventure, and 4% of uncertain category. 10.4% of deaths were due solely to alcohol and alcohol was found in another 13% of deaths from other drugs and poisons corrected.. Twenty-seven percent of deaths were attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning. Five percent of deaths were due to poisons. Prescription drugs were the cause of deaths in 54% with the principle drug classes being opioids (14%), tricyclic antidepressants (12%), barbiturates (11%), hypnosedatives (8%). Prescribers need to be aware of the interactions of such drugs with alcohol, and to consider safer alternative drugs for those at risk of overdose or drug misuse.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0028-8446",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}