title: [Who dies of morphine and dextropropoxyphene intoxication? Danish experiences from the period 1979-1992].
abstract: We studied deaths following intoxication with dextropropoxyphene (D) and opioids (M) in Denmark 1979-1992 with special reference to the sex, age group, contributory cause of death (secondary diagnosis) and manner of death. Deaths following D increased until 1985 for both sexes, where a total of 46 women and 64 men died. In 1985 the National Board of Health drew public attention to this problem which led to a decrease in these deaths among men, while in women a paradoxical increase in suicides outnumbered a reduction in deaths from intoxication accidents. In 1988 D was assigned to the more restrictive prescription rules of opioids, which further reduced the number of deaths. The reduction of D deaths was followed by a corresponding increase in deaths due to M. However, the demographic characteristics of D and M deaths were not entirely identical: The typical D victim had a history of psychiatric disease or drug/alcohol abuse and committed suicide; the age was 40-59 for women and 20-39 for men. The typical M victim also had a history of psychiatric disease and substance abuse but suicides were less common and the majority occurred in the age group 20-39 in both sexes. Both D and M deaths were rare in persons with a somatic secondary diagnosis. We conclude that these poisonings warrant continued attention, and that a more restrictive prescription practice of D and M to patients at risk is justified.
authors.affiliation: Medicinsk Afdeling A, Rigshospitalet, København.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leander
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Hove
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000506:poisoning*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D011431:Dextropropoxyphene / Q000506:poisoning*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000506:poisoning*; D009022:Morphine Derivatives / Q000506:poisoning*; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000401:mortality*; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009022:Morphine Derivatives; D009020:Morphine; D011431:Dextropropoxyphene
vernacular_title: Hvem dør af morfika- og dextropropoxyphenforgiftning? Danske erfaringer fra perioden 1979-1992.