Wellington coroner autopsy cases 1970-89: acute deaths due to drugs, alcohol and poisons.

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.