Disposition of Emergency Department Visits for Drug-related Suicide Attempts by Adolescents: 2004

In 2004, there were over 15,000 emergency department visits by adolescents aged 12-17 whose suicide attempts involved drugs. Almost three quarters of these drug-related suicide attempts were serious enough to merit the patientÕs admission to the same hospital or transfer to another health care facility. Pain medications were involved in about half of the suicide attempts. Adolescents who were admitted to the hospital used antidepressants or other psychotherapeutic medications in over 40% of the suicide attempts.