title: Wellington coroner autopsy cases 1970-89: acute deaths due to drugs, alcohol and poisons.
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.
authors.affiliation: Wellington Drug and Alcohol Centre.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Dukes
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000401:mortality; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000401:mortality; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000506:poisoning; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011041:Poisoning / Q000401:mortality*; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives