[Every life counts : suicide by anesthetists].

This article has its roots in the consternation of head anesthetists over the loss of colleagues. Anesthesia, intensive care medicine, emergency medicine and pain therapy has lost too many first class colleagues through suicide, addiction, severe depression and other causes. It is time to direct attention not exclusively to patients but also to apply an important occupational principle in the rescue service and intensive care medicine to the profession of anesthetists: Every life counts! The following article supplies information on the frequency, methods and possible reasons for suicide by physicians and suggestions for the prevention of suicide as well as treatment of physicians who are at risk of suicide will be presented.