Journal ArticleDOI
A prospective study of mortality among drug misusers during a 4-year period after seeking treatment
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TLDR
Drug misusers and those working with drug misusers need to be more alert to the risks of polydrug use, including the combined use of alcohol with illicit drugs, as well as the recording of drug-related deaths on death certificates.Abstract:
Aims The opportunity to study deaths as they occur within the framework of a prospective cohort study is relatively uncommon. This study investigates deaths among drug misusers over a 4-year period, with specific attention to the circumstances and causes of death, and risk factors for mortality. The study also critically examines the recording of drug-related deaths.
Design, Setting, Participants Prospective cohort study of 1075 drug misusers recruited to 54 treatment programmes during 1995.
Measurements Data derived from interviews conducted with clients at intake, death certificates and post-mortem examinations.
Findings The annual mortality rate was 1.2%, about six times higher than that for a general, age-matched population. Fourteen per cent of the deaths were due to self-inflicted injuries, accidents or violence and 18% were due to medical causes. The majority of deaths (68%) were associated with drug overdoses. Opiates were the drugs most commonly detected during post-mortem examinations. In the majority of cases, more than one drug was detected. Polydrug use and, specifically, heavy drinking, and use of benzodiazepines and amphetamines, were identified as risk factors for mortality. Anxiety and homelessness were also predictive of increased mortality.
Conclusions We suggest that drug misusers and those working with drug misusers need to be more alert to the risks of polydrug use, including the combined use of alcohol with illicit drugs. The study revealed inconsistencies in the recording of drug-related deaths on death certificates. The routine recording of all substances detected during toxicological examination would improve the accuracy of death certification.read more
Citations
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Mortality risk during and after opioid substitution treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies
Luis Sordo,Luis Sordo,Gregorio Barrio,María J. Bravo,B. Iciar Indave,Louisa Degenhardt,Louisa Degenhardt,Lucas Wiessing,Marica Ferri,Roberto Pastor-Barriuso +9 more
TL;DR: Retention in methadone and buprenorphine treatment is associated with substantial reductions in the risk for all cause and overdose mortality in people dependent on opioids.
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The National Treatment Outcome Research Study (NTORS): 4-5 year follow-up results.
TL;DR: Substantial reductions across a range of problem behaviours were found 4-5 years after patients were admitted to national treatment programmes delivered under day-to-day conditions.
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Abuse and dependence potential for the non-benzodiazepine hypnotics zolpidem and zopiclone: a review of case reports and epidemiological data.
TL;DR: The findings offer the conclusion that zolpidem and zopiclone are relatively safe drugs, however, as both drugs are psychotropic drugs, patients with a history of abuse or dependence and those with psychiatric diseases seem to be at increased risk of abuse of these agents.
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Acute risk of drug-related death among newly released prisoners in England and Wales
Michael Farrell,John Marsden +1 more
TL;DR: Newly released male and female prisoners are at acute risk of drug-related death and Appropriate prevention measures include overdose awareness education, opioid maintenance pharmacotherapy, planned referral to community-based treatment services and a community overdose-response using opioid antagonists.
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Suicide among heroin users: rates, risk factors and methods
Shane Darke,Joanne Ross +1 more
TL;DR: It is concluded that suicide is a major problem that treatment agencies face, and which requires targeted intervention if the rates of suicide among this group are to decline.
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Journal ArticleDOI
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