Deaths among drug addicts in Denmark. A forensic medical study of deaths among drug addicts during the period 1991-1992 related to the period 1984-1985
Steentoft, A.; Kaa, E.; Simonsen, K.W.; Kringsholm, B.; Worm, K.; Hansen, A.C.; Toft, J.; Dragsholt, C.
Ugeskrift for Laeger 156(42): 6215-6219
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0041-5782 PMID: 7998361 Document Number: 428412
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.