@article{ref1,
title="Blood-alcohol concentrations of non-natural and sudden unexpected deaths",
journal="Romanian journal of legal medicine",
year="1995",
author="Lockemann, U. and Puschel, K. and Ewerwahn, J. and Wischhusen, F.",
volume="3",
number="1",
pages="37-41",
abstract="In a prospective study the blood alcohol concentrations of all sudden unexpected deaths and non-natural deaths that were investigated at the Institute of Chair of Legal Medicine in Hamburg from 1989 to 1993 were tested. The study includes n = 5044 fatalities (1177 females, 3867 males) with an age below 60 years. The autopsy rate was about 30%. The alcohol-analyses were performed by gas-chromatography. Measurable blood alcohol concentrations (at least > = 0.1‰) were found in 30.2% of all cases; higher blood alcohol concentrations of > 2‰ were found in 430 cases (8.5%). Alcohol prevalence and the amount of alcoholization are discussed with respect to age, sex and the manner of death (sudden/unexpected death, accident, suicide, homicide, trauma, intoxication). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Alcohol as a relevant factor in sudden/unexpected death and non-natural death seems to be underestimated. Only a small proportion of these cases are elucidated by way of routine police investigations.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1221-8618",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}