Premium
The effects of alcohol and benzodiazepines on the severity of ski accidents
Author(s) -
Barnas C.,
Miller C. H.,
Sperner G.,
SpernerUnterweger B.,
Beck E.,
Hinterhuber H.,
Fleischhacker W. W.
Publication year - 1992
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 - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1992.tb03269.x
Subject(s) - alcohol , medicine , injury prevention , poison control , occupational safety and health , urine , human factors and ergonomics , suicide prevention , psychiatry , benzodiazepine , drug , emergency medicine , biochemistry , chemistry , pathology , receptor
Urine sample from 402 victims of ski accidents were analyzed for the presence of benzodiazepines (BZD) and alcohol. Eighty‐one (20%) samples were positive for alcohol; BZD were detected in 34 (8.5%) cases. Ten of the samples (2.5%) were found to be positive for both alcohol and BZD. Subjects who were positive for either alcohol or BZD or both were older than the other persons examined. The prevalence of alcohol was significantly higher among male accident victims. BZD intake could be demonstrated to have a significant influence on the severity of injuries. Besides an increased awareness of the need for skier education regarding drug use, heightened attention of medical caregivers is warranted to inform their patients about potential accident hazards in sport activities when BZD are prescribed.