UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Predictors of fatality from intentional drug overdose

Keywords: risk of death, intentional drug overdose (PubMed Search)

Posted: 1/23/2020 by Hong Kim, MD
Click here to contact Hong Kim, MD

Intentional drug overdose (IDO) can lead to significant morbidity and can increased patient's risk of death. A study was recently performed to identify the predictors of death in a cohort of patient who intentionally overdose on drug(s).

National Self-Harm Registry and National Drug-Related Death Index were reviewed (between January 1^st, 2007 and December 31^st, 2014) to identify the study cohort.

Results

	Non fatal IDO	Fatal IDO
Number of cases	63,831	364
Incidence	148.8/100,000	1.01/100,000
Male	42.0%	55.2%
Age, years (median)	35	44
Multiple drug ingestion	48.5%	78.3%

Risk of death

1.7 times higher in MALE compared to female
5 times higher in age > 45 years vs. 15-24 years
3 times higher in patient who ingested 2 – 5 distinct agents, 6x higher in > 6 agent vs. single agent
15 times higher after TCA ingestion
12 times higher after opioids ingestion
4 times higher after antidepressants or illicit substance ingestion/exposure

Conclusion

Older age (> 45 years), male gender and ingestion of multiple agents (>2) were associated with higher risk of death from intention drug overdose.

References

International Journal of Drug Policy76https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.102609