BACKGROUND: Alcohol and drugs use were assessed in a nationwide one year suicide study in Finland. METHOD: Alcohol and drugs use were analysed in 1348 suicides, 96.5% of all suicides in the study year. Relative suicide risks for drugs were defined by relating the number of suicides committed by use of various drugs to drug availability. RESULTS: Alcohol was detected twice as often in men as in women; the opposite was the case with drugs. The drugs most commonly used for suicide were neuroleptics and antidepressants, which were, in 74.3% and 77.4% of the cases, respectively, the victims own prescribed drugs. Antidepressants were found in 19.0% of women and only 4.8% of men. Relative suicide risk for antidepressants varied substantially between different compounds. CONCLUSIONS: Undertreatment of depression is a challenge for suicide prevention. Those who commit suicide by antidepressants use their own drugs. Relative suicide risk for a drug should be considered when choosing treatment for depressive patients.
BACKGROUND:Alcohol and drugs use were assessed in a nationwide one year suicide study in Finland. METHOD:Alcohol and drugs use were analysed in 1348 suicides, 96.5% of all suicides in the study year. Relative suicide risks for drugs were defined by relating the number of suicides committed by use of various drugs to drug availability. RESULTS:Alcohol was detected twice as often in men as in women; the opposite was the case with drugs. The drugs most commonly used for suicide were neuroleptics and antidepressants, which were, in 74.3% and 77.4% of the cases, respectively, the victims own prescribed drugs. Antidepressants were found in 19.0% of women and only 4.8% of men. Relative suicide risk for antidepressants varied substantially between different compounds. CONCLUSIONS: Undertreatment of depression is a challenge for suicide prevention. Those who commit suicide by antidepressants use their own drugs. Relative suicide risk for a drug should be considered when choosing treatment for depressivepatients.
Authors: Maximilian Methling; Franziska Krumbiegel; Sven Hartwig; Maria K Parr; Michael Tsokos Journal: Forensic Sci Med Pathol Date: 2018-11-05 Impact factor: 2.007
Authors: Maurizio Pompili; Gianluca Serafini; Marco Innamorati; Giovanni Dominici; Stefano Ferracuti; Giorgio D Kotzalidis; Giulia Serra; Paolo Girardi; Luigi Janiri; Roberto Tatarelli; Leo Sher; David Lester Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2010-03-29 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Leo Sher; Maria A Oquendo; Randall Richardson-Vejlgaard; Nita M Makhija; Kelly Posner; J John Mann; Barbara H Stanley Journal: J Psychiatr Res Date: 2009-02-25 Impact factor: 4.791