engleski

Toxicological features of suicides in Rijeka region, Croatia

Suicides in Rijeka region, especially regarding the method of committing and toxicological features, were analyzed. We hypothesized that the level of alcohol intoxication and presence of drugs and/or psychoactive medications and the choice of specific methods of committing suicide are related. As for the level of alcohol intoxication we analyzed 521 suicides in a 10-year period, using gas chromatography. The average blood alcohol concentration at the moment of suicide was 0.68 g/kg with male, and 0.29 g/kg with female victims. The highest blood alcohol levels at the moment of suicide were found with suicides by explosive device (average blood alcohol concentration of 1.71 g/kg) and firearms (average blood alcohol concentration of 0.74 g/kg), while the lowest concentrations were found with female hanging and electrocution suicides (both average blood alcohol concentration of 0.01 g/kg) and male cutting/stabbing suicides (average blood alcohol concentration of 0.13 g/kg). As for the presence of drugs and/or psychoactive medications we analyzed 42 suicides in a 1-year period, using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. About 60 % (26) of suicide victims were tested negative, with no significant difference regarding age and gender groups. Benzodiazepines and tetrahydrocannabinol were the most common findings. The most frequent methods of committing suicide with positive toxicology tests were those using firearms and poisoning, while hanging and jumping from height victims were almost always tested negative. Our findings suggest that alcohol as well as drugs and psychoactive medications are more significantly present in cases of suicide by firearms or explosive device, than in the other methods of suicide. This especially drastic method of suicide was rarely present in Croatia prior to the Croatian Independence War (1991-1995), but its incidence significantly increased during the war and is still rather high, as a consequence of the war stress those people suffered. Alcohol, drugs and psychoactive medications are becoming more and more dangerous as a motivating suicidogene.

toxicology; suicide; Croatia

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