This article describes suicide attempters seen in an emergency room in Sao Paulo, Brazil, & their acute substance consumption or dependence. A non-structured psychiatric interview was used with a sample of 80 patients, mean age 26.9 years. Most suicide attempts involved ingestion of medicines. Approximately 21.2% & 7.5% of cases had used alcohol or an illicit drug, respectively, within 6 hours of the attempt, & 10% were found to be substance dependent. All of the patients who were substance dependent had attempted suicide previously. There was a significant association between suicide attempt through medicine ingestion & psychiatric treatment history. (42 refs.)
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