Fatal poisoning in drug addicts in the Nordic countries

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Standard

Fatal poisoning in drug addicts in the Nordic countries. / Steentoft, Anni; Teige, Brita; Ceder, Gunnel; Vuori, Errki; Kristinsson, Jakob; Simonsen, Kirsten Wiese; Holmgren, Per; Wethe, Grete; Kaa, Elisabet.

In: Forensic Science International, Vol. 123, No. 1, 15.11.2001, p. 63-69.

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Steentoft, A, Teige, B, Ceder, G, Vuori, E, Kristinsson, J, Simonsen, KW, Holmgren, P, Wethe, G & Kaa, E 2001, 'Fatal poisoning in drug addicts in the Nordic countries', Forensic Science International, vol. 123, no. 1, pp. 63-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(01)00524-2

APA

Steentoft, A., Teige, B., Ceder, G., Vuori, E., Kristinsson, J., Simonsen, K. W., Holmgren, P., Wethe, G., & Kaa, E. (2001). Fatal poisoning in drug addicts in the Nordic countries. Forensic Science International, 123(1), 63-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(01)00524-2

Vancouver

Steentoft A, Teige B, Ceder G, Vuori E, Kristinsson J, Simonsen KW et al. Fatal poisoning in drug addicts in the Nordic countries. Forensic Science International. 2001 Nov 15;123(1):63-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-0738(01)00524-2

Author

Steentoft, Anni ; Teige, Brita ; Ceder, Gunnel ; Vuori, Errki ; Kristinsson, Jakob ; Simonsen, Kirsten Wiese ; Holmgren, Per ; Wethe, Grete ; Kaa, Elisabet. / Fatal poisoning in drug addicts in the Nordic countries. In: Forensic Science International. 2001 ; Vol. 123, No. 1. pp. 63-69.

Bibtex

@article{d3a5e89074c011dbbee902004c4f4f50,
title = "Fatal poisoning in drug addicts in the Nordic countries",
abstract = "The study includes medicolegally examined fatal poisonings among drug addicts in 1997 in the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and the results are compared to a similar investigation from 1991. A common definition of {\textquoteleft}{\textquoteleft}drug addict{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright} was applied by the participating countries. The highest death rate by poisoning in drug addicts was observed in Denmark, where it was 6.54 per 105 inhabitants, followed by Norway with 6.35, Sweden with 2.21, Finland with 1.63 and Iceland with 1.20 per 105 inhabitants. All countries showed a higher death rate in 1997 than in 1991. For all countries the distribution of deaths according to geographical regions showed a decreasing number of drug deaths in the metropolitan area and an increasing number in other cities. Heroin/ morphine dominated as the cause of death and was responsible for about 90% of the cases in Norway. In Sweden and Denmark, however, heroin/morphine caused only about 70% of the fatal poisonings. About 30% of the fatal poisonings in Denmark and Sweden were caused by other group I drugs, in Denmark mainly methadone and in Sweden mainly propoxyphene. Apart from two cases in Sweden methadone deaths were not seen in the other Nordic countries. In Finland heroin/morphine deaths have increased from about 10% in 1991 to about 40% in 1997. Forty-four percent of the fatal poisonings in Finland were caused by other group I drugs, mainly codeine and propoxyphene. The two fatal poisonings in Iceland were caused by carbon monoxide. Only few deaths in this investigation were caused by amphetamine and cocaine. A widespread use of alcohol, cannabis and benzodiazepines, especially diazepam, was seen in all the countries. #2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.",
keywords = "Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Drug addict deaths, fatal intoxication, nordic countries, general screening , Geographical distribution",
author = "Anni Steentoft and Brita Teige and Gunnel Ceder and Errki Vuori and Jakob Kristinsson and Simonsen, {Kirsten Wiese} and Per Holmgren and Grete Wethe and Elisabet Kaa",
year = "2001",
month = nov,
day = "15",
doi = "10.1016/S0379-0738(01)00524-2",
language = "English",
volume = "123",
pages = "63--69",
journal = "Forensic Science International",
issn = "0379-0738",
publisher = "Elsevier Ireland Ltd",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fatal poisoning in drug addicts in the Nordic countries

AU - Steentoft, Anni

AU - Teige, Brita

AU - Ceder, Gunnel

AU - Vuori, Errki

AU - Kristinsson, Jakob

AU - Simonsen, Kirsten Wiese

AU - Holmgren, Per

AU - Wethe, Grete

AU - Kaa, Elisabet

PY - 2001/11/15

Y1 - 2001/11/15

N2 - The study includes medicolegally examined fatal poisonings among drug addicts in 1997 in the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and the results are compared to a similar investigation from 1991. A common definition of ‘‘drug addict’’ was applied by the participating countries. The highest death rate by poisoning in drug addicts was observed in Denmark, where it was 6.54 per 105 inhabitants, followed by Norway with 6.35, Sweden with 2.21, Finland with 1.63 and Iceland with 1.20 per 105 inhabitants. All countries showed a higher death rate in 1997 than in 1991. For all countries the distribution of deaths according to geographical regions showed a decreasing number of drug deaths in the metropolitan area and an increasing number in other cities. Heroin/ morphine dominated as the cause of death and was responsible for about 90% of the cases in Norway. In Sweden and Denmark, however, heroin/morphine caused only about 70% of the fatal poisonings. About 30% of the fatal poisonings in Denmark and Sweden were caused by other group I drugs, in Denmark mainly methadone and in Sweden mainly propoxyphene. Apart from two cases in Sweden methadone deaths were not seen in the other Nordic countries. In Finland heroin/morphine deaths have increased from about 10% in 1991 to about 40% in 1997. Forty-four percent of the fatal poisonings in Finland were caused by other group I drugs, mainly codeine and propoxyphene. The two fatal poisonings in Iceland were caused by carbon monoxide. Only few deaths in this investigation were caused by amphetamine and cocaine. A widespread use of alcohol, cannabis and benzodiazepines, especially diazepam, was seen in all the countries. #2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

AB - The study includes medicolegally examined fatal poisonings among drug addicts in 1997 in the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and the results are compared to a similar investigation from 1991. A common definition of ‘‘drug addict’’ was applied by the participating countries. The highest death rate by poisoning in drug addicts was observed in Denmark, where it was 6.54 per 105 inhabitants, followed by Norway with 6.35, Sweden with 2.21, Finland with 1.63 and Iceland with 1.20 per 105 inhabitants. All countries showed a higher death rate in 1997 than in 1991. For all countries the distribution of deaths according to geographical regions showed a decreasing number of drug deaths in the metropolitan area and an increasing number in other cities. Heroin/ morphine dominated as the cause of death and was responsible for about 90% of the cases in Norway. In Sweden and Denmark, however, heroin/morphine caused only about 70% of the fatal poisonings. About 30% of the fatal poisonings in Denmark and Sweden were caused by other group I drugs, in Denmark mainly methadone and in Sweden mainly propoxyphene. Apart from two cases in Sweden methadone deaths were not seen in the other Nordic countries. In Finland heroin/morphine deaths have increased from about 10% in 1991 to about 40% in 1997. Forty-four percent of the fatal poisonings in Finland were caused by other group I drugs, mainly codeine and propoxyphene. The two fatal poisonings in Iceland were caused by carbon monoxide. Only few deaths in this investigation were caused by amphetamine and cocaine. A widespread use of alcohol, cannabis and benzodiazepines, especially diazepam, was seen in all the countries. #2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

KW - Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

KW - Drug addict deaths, fatal intoxication, nordic countries, general screening

KW - Geographical distribution

U2 - 10.1016/S0379-0738(01)00524-2

DO - 10.1016/S0379-0738(01)00524-2

M3 - Journal article

VL - 123

SP - 63

EP - 69

JO - Forensic Science International

JF - Forensic Science International

SN - 0379-0738

IS - 1

ER -

ID: 51771