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Barbiturate Misuse in ‘Hard’ Drug Addicts
Author(s) -
Aylett Pamela
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
british journal of addiction to alcohol and other drugs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0007-0890
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1978.tb00177.x
Subject(s) - barbiturate , drug , medicine , addiction , drug misuse , drug overdose , poison control , anesthesia , medical emergency , psychiatry
Summary Barbiturate misuse in maintained ‘hard’ drug addicts was compared over two separate annual periods. About two thirds of patients showed some evidence of barbiturate misue, including a third with overt clinical signs. In just under one third there was no evidence of such involvement. Barbiturate misuse did not necessarily occur in the same individuals in the two annual periods. A high proportion of deaths in both years involved barbiturate overdose as a main or partial factor. The number of deaths was identical. More liberal prescribing of ‘hard’ drugs had little overall effect on the misuse of barbiturates and no appreciable effect on the numbers treated for overdose in the Accident Department. It is concluded that other measures are needed to prevent or reduce intoxication and death from barbiturates.