Resource Tag: NARCOTICS

In this brief report, the authors suggest the possibility of a relationship between depression, suicide risk, & naltrexone abuse. The cases of four individuals, 3 of whom died by suicide, are discussed. (8 refs.)

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This article describes the characteristics of opiate dependent patients who attempt suicide. Significantly more opiate dependent patients who had attempted suicide were female & unemployed. Patients who had attempted suicide reported significantly more family history of suicide & more childhood trauma; scored significantly higher for introversion, hostility, & neuroticism; & had experienced significantly more comorbidity […]

Ten unmedicated female inpatients with major depression & 10 healthy volunteer women were given an intravenous injection of 0.1mg fentanyl at 9:00 AM & 9:00 PM on different days. The prolactin secretory response to this opioid agonist was investigated for 1 h with serial blood sampling. Repeated measures Analysis of Variance yielded a significant effect […]

This chapter examines the relation between problem drinking & violent causes of death in America. A description of the medical examiner’s criteria for determining manner of death is included. The author asserts that it has been observed that approximately 50% of all violent deaths are associated with alcohol use. It is noted that in one […]

This article examines and compares data on accidental & suicidal deaths from overdose (1992 United Kingdom), & suggests that suicide rates among addicts are underestimated. Reasons for lower estimates, risk factors, & non-fatal overdose are discussed. The overriding feature of fatal oversdoses appears to be the use of a range of substances including opiates, alcohol, […]

This article is self written case history about a Canadian doctor who was diagnosed with lupus and trigeminal neuralgia. As a result of her illness this doctor required narcotics to control her pain. The author covers the affects of the pain on her life and her need to control it to live a productive life. […]

The effect of aging & suicide on mu opioid receptors was studied in the human brain postmortem. Quantitative autoradiography with 3HDAGO revealed region specific increases in mu receptor density with age. Suicide was accompanied by a significant increase, up to 9-fold, in mu receptor density in the young, but not the old subjects, as compared […]

This article describes experiences with problematic patients whose care taxes practitioners clinical skills & compassion. 90 patients (aged 23-82) were followed by a supportive care program for more than 4 weeks prior to death. Prevalence of pains, patterns of opioid use & routes of drug administration, & prevalence of suicidal ideation (20% although only 4 […]

In the mid-19th century opium and its derivatives, such as laudanum and morphine, were the most common poisons in suicides in England and Wales. With legislative restrictions on these ‘dangerous drugs’ such a use declined. This study attempts to show this trend and indicates the large variety of these opium-related suicides.

This study validates the hypothesis that the narcotic overdose is a form of self-destructive behavior. 20 addicts who had recently overdosed & 21 who had never overdosed were assessed with measures of suicide potential, risk-taking propensity & accident proneness. Multivariate analysis of results indicated that the 2 groups did differ; additional analysis indicated that the […]

Success in reviving victims of overdose may be achieved by careful attention to cardiovascular & respiratory support & a high urinary output. In addition to these general principles, special measures may be indicated in cases of specific drug overdose. Such measures are outlined for various drugs, including acetaminophen, aspirin, phencyclidine, barbituates & organophosphates.

Assessed, by a Morbidity Attitude Survey & Depression Scale, hard core heroin addicts (n=98) who were in either a methadone treatment or an abstinence program. Showed distinct evidence of depression among addicts compared with controls; greater incidence of suicide attempts, except in blacks; different attitudes toward violence & morbidity, particularly when abstaining from methadone; methadone […]

Study reports findings on the death by overdose of 24 drug addicts & whether or not these deaths were actual suicides. The Rorschach test was used to determine whether these addicts had presented the signs of being a greater suicidal risk. Comparisons were made in 4 areas: reality contact, energies, feelings & intellectual control. Findings […]

This report studies 2 suicides where the death was due to heroin injection. The morphine concentration in various tissues as determined by radio immunoassay and fluorometry are presented.