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Suicides are seldom prescribed antidepressants: findings from a prospective prescription database in Jämtland county, Sweden, 1985–95
Author(s) -
Henriksson Svante,
Boëthius Göran,
Isacsson Göran
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2001.00276.x
Subject(s) - medical prescription , medicine , psychiatry , prospective cohort study , poison control , suicide prevention , emergency medicine , pharmacology
Objective: This study presents data relating to prospectively monitored treatment and post‐mortem toxicology of individuals who committed suicide. Method: A case–control study of prospectively monitored pharmacological treatment in suicides and controls. Psychiatric records and post‐mortem toxicology were also studied. Results: Fifty‐nine subjects who committed suicide purchased twice the number of prescriptions as the 118 controls. Sixteen cases received psychiatric in‐patient care compared to four of the controls. In the last 3 months prior to suicide, 38 cases (64%) were dispensed drugs: anxiolytics‐hypnotics in 17 cases (29%), antipsychotics in six cases (10%) and antidepressants in seven cases (12%). More psychiatrists than GPs prescribed antidepressants. About one‐third of psychotropic drugs were retrieved in post‐mortem toxicology. Conclusion: There is a frequent use of psychotropics and psychiatric care among suicides; however, few used antidepressants and
complied. Many suicides are still misdiagnosed and are not adequately treated.