PSYCHOTROPIC-DRUG CONSUMPTION AND OTHER FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HEROIN OVERDOSE

In clinical or forensic practice there are few studies assessing which risk factors are associated with heroin overdoses. A series of 76 con secutive non-fatal heroin overdoses were compared to 22 consecutive su bjects who self-injected heroin within 1 h before admission to the eme rgency room. Whereas blood levels of alcohol and IgE and urinary cocai ne metabolite levels were similar in both groups, higher benzodiazepin e plasma levels were detected in the heroin overdose group. The assess ment of methadone, dextropropoxyphene, amphetamines and cannabis in ur ine analysis did not show differences between both groups. The intervi ew revealed that only 48% of subjects in the heroin overdose group sel f-administered the last dose of heroin before admission in the usual s etting as compared to 100% of subjects in the non-overdose group. The application of a log-linear regression model identified self-injection of heroin in an unusual place and plasma concentrations of total morp hine and benzodiazepines as risk factors for heroin overdose.