Resource Tag: BARBITURATES

Comments on the problem of suicide by barbiturate poisoning. Presents the view that alcohol is not so great an accident factor as is claimed, that accidents really due to bad roads and lighting and bad driving practices are blamed on alcohol. Discusses the synergistic effects of ingesting both alcohol and barbiturates, often resulting in death […]

The patients of self-poisoning at 3 Newcastle Hospitals were studied. It was found that: 1) Peak of self-poisoning for both sexes was 20-24 yrs old 2) Female:Male ratio was 2:1 3) Most commonly used drugs was benzodiazepines, followed by barbituates. The high use of barbituates indicate that MD’s continue to prescribe this drug despite known […]

An attempt to clarify the causes of the higher mortality from suicide in the elderly has been made by comparing the physical consequences of acute poisoning in 131 patients over the age of 65 years with those in 956 younger adults. No difference in mortality was found though the incidence of complications was greater in […]

The changes in pattern of drug use in self-poisoning were reviewed & their consequences assessed. Benzodiazepines increased markedly to 40% of patients admitted while barbituates declined from 30% to 15%. Tricyclic antidepressants saw a slow increase. The pattern showed a reduction in number & severity of patients admitted unconscious, in proportional terms. However, there is […]

Studies of a nonfatal & fatal case of barbituate poisoning have been used in a discussion of the differential diagnosis of accidental vs intentional poisoning. They show that, although cases of accidental barbituate poisoning do occur, they are not caused by drug automatism. The persistence of the drug automatism hypothesis is partially explained by the […]

Hospital admissions due to acute barbiturate poisoning per million population in England and Wales have decreased since 1965 at about the same rate as NHS prescriptions for barbiturates. Admissions due to poisoning with other drugs have increased, but, largely because the benzodiazepine hypnotics and tranquilizers are much less toxic than the barbiturates that they are […]

This is the story of Jill, a middle aged women who found life too much for her & attempted to commit suicide by taking an overdose of barbiturates. It is also the story of the skilled nursing care needed to save her life & the help she received at a psychiatric day hospital.

Post-mortem tissues from a thiopentone suicide were analysed by ultraviolet spectrometry and gas chromatography. The thiopentone concentrations found (0.6 mg/100 ml of blood and 2.6 mg/100 g of tissue) are consistent with those reported for”anaesthetic” deaths where only thiopentone and other anaesthetic agents were present. The gas chromatographic method gave more accurate results with the […]

Sleeping pills appear to be the simplest & most pleasant method of ending life. However, most people do not realize that this is not the case – an overdose can result in permanent brain damage & can involve lengthy & painful medical treatment. The prescription & use of sleeping pills should never be treated lightly […]

The author presents the case history of a young married woman’s arrival & treatment in an emergency room, 3 hours after overdosing on a sedative. The physical & psychological aspects of treatment are described in detail. (KM)