Alcohol in a series of medico-legally autopsied deaths in northern Norway 1973-1992

It is well established that use of alcohol increases the risk of fatal inju ries. The presence of blood alcohol in autopsied deaths is regularly encoun tered in medico-legal practices. The aim of this study was to investigate t he prevalence and concentration of alcohol in 1539 medico-legal autopsies i n two counties in northern Norway in the period 1973-1992, and the reportin g of acute alcohol influence among these deaths to the official cause-of-de ath statistics. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) greater than or equal to 0.5 parts per thousand (50 mg/100 ml) was found in 47.6% (n=456) of violent deaths tested, and in 93% (n=426) of these the BAC was greater than or equ al to 1.0 parts per thousand. In 17.4% (n=55) of tested natural deaths the BAC was greater than or equal to 0.5 parts per thousand. Acute alcohol-infl uenced violent deaths were under-reported to the cause-of-death statistics. Deaths by motor vehicle traffic accidents did not differ from other violen t deaths in this respect, The under-reporting among violent deaths was 41% in cases with BAC greater than or equal to 0.5 parts per thousand and 37% w here the BAC was greater than or equal to 1.0 parts per thousand during the whole period. It is concluded that post-mortem BAC greater than or equal t o 0.5 parts per thousand, should be regarded as a possible contributory cau se in all violent deaths, and reported accordingly. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scien ce Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.