Self-poisoning with drugs: a worsening situation.

The incidence of self-poisoning with drugs has doubled in Sheffield in the past 10 years. It now causes almost 1 in 10 of all medical admissions and one in five of all medical emergencies; it is the second most common reason for emergency admission to medical beds.The average age of the patients has fallen; one in five has previously been admitted to hospital with self-poisoning. The drugs used are normally prescribed by a doctor and the types employed reflect national prescribing trends. It is estimated that over 70,000 self-poisoning cases may be admitted to hospitals in the United Kingdom each year.