Ethanol and Medical Psychotropics Co-Consumption in European Countries: Results from a Three-Year Retrospective Study of Forensic Samples in Spain
Ethanol and medical psychotropics (MPs) are legal psychoactive substances widely consumed in Western countries that are routinely detected in standard toxicological analyses at compulsory autopsies, and toxicokinetic interactions between these drugs have been described. However, studies assessing th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/1/45 |
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| author | Maira Almeida-González Luis D. Boada Guillermo Burillo-Putze Luis A. Henríquez-Hernández Octavio P. Luzardo María P. Quintana-Montesdeoca Manuel Zumbado |
| author_facet | Maira Almeida-González Luis D. Boada Guillermo Burillo-Putze Luis A. Henríquez-Hernández Octavio P. Luzardo María P. Quintana-Montesdeoca Manuel Zumbado |
| author_sort | Maira Almeida-González |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ethanol and medical psychotropics (MPs) are legal psychoactive substances widely consumed in Western countries that are routinely detected in standard toxicological analyses at compulsory autopsies, and toxicokinetic interactions between these drugs have been described. However, studies assessing the consequences of this co-consumption are scarce in Europe. We performed a retrospective study on toxicological results from compulsory autopsies in Spain. Thirty-five legal psychotropics, including ethanol, were measured in blood samples from 380 decedents to assess the determinants of such co-consumption. MPs were detected in 42.4% of the subjects. Polypharmacy was frequent in our series (25%), being more frequent in men than in women. More than one-third of the decedents had detectable levels of ethanol, and a significant positive association between ethanol levels and age was evident. About one-third of MPs consumers were also co-consumers of ethanol. The simultaneous consumption of ethanol and MPs was higher in men than in women. Blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) were lower in men who consumed MPs. In polypharmacy deaths, there was a significant negative association between the number of MPs consumed and BAC in men (<i>r</i> = −0.097; <i>p</i> = 0.029). Our results showed a high prevalence of co-consumption of MPs and ethanol in the European population involved in medico-legal issues and suggest that toxicokinetic interactions may be lowering BAC in men. This is a very worrying result, as it could indicate that the legal blood ethanol limits set by legislation would not be appropriate for men on MPs treatment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:06:22Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-6304 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:06:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj.art-9c8f5356ce1d432f92842342194f3a842023-12-01T00:55:36ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042022-12-011114510.3390/toxics11010045Ethanol and Medical Psychotropics Co-Consumption in European Countries: Results from a Three-Year Retrospective Study of Forensic Samples in SpainMaira Almeida-González0Luis D. Boada1Guillermo Burillo-Putze2Luis A. Henríquez-Hernández3Octavio P. Luzardo4María P. Quintana-Montesdeoca5Manuel Zumbado6Institute of Legal Medicine of Las Palmas, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainInstitute of Legal Medicine of Las Palmas, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainEmergency Department, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, 38320 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, SpainToxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainToxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainToxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainToxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainEthanol and medical psychotropics (MPs) are legal psychoactive substances widely consumed in Western countries that are routinely detected in standard toxicological analyses at compulsory autopsies, and toxicokinetic interactions between these drugs have been described. However, studies assessing the consequences of this co-consumption are scarce in Europe. We performed a retrospective study on toxicological results from compulsory autopsies in Spain. Thirty-five legal psychotropics, including ethanol, were measured in blood samples from 380 decedents to assess the determinants of such co-consumption. MPs were detected in 42.4% of the subjects. Polypharmacy was frequent in our series (25%), being more frequent in men than in women. More than one-third of the decedents had detectable levels of ethanol, and a significant positive association between ethanol levels and age was evident. About one-third of MPs consumers were also co-consumers of ethanol. The simultaneous consumption of ethanol and MPs was higher in men than in women. Blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) were lower in men who consumed MPs. In polypharmacy deaths, there was a significant negative association between the number of MPs consumed and BAC in men (<i>r</i> = −0.097; <i>p</i> = 0.029). Our results showed a high prevalence of co-consumption of MPs and ethanol in the European population involved in medico-legal issues and suggest that toxicokinetic interactions may be lowering BAC in men. This is a very worrying result, as it could indicate that the legal blood ethanol limits set by legislation would not be appropriate for men on MPs treatment.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/1/45compulsory autopsiestoxicological findingsmedical psychotropicsblood alcohol concentrationspolypharmacy |
| spellingShingle | Maira Almeida-González Luis D. Boada Guillermo Burillo-Putze Luis A. Henríquez-Hernández Octavio P. Luzardo María P. Quintana-Montesdeoca Manuel Zumbado Ethanol and Medical Psychotropics Co-Consumption in European Countries: Results from a Three-Year Retrospective Study of Forensic Samples in Spain Toxics compulsory autopsies toxicological findings medical psychotropics blood alcohol concentrations polypharmacy |
| title | Ethanol and Medical Psychotropics Co-Consumption in European Countries: Results from a Three-Year Retrospective Study of Forensic Samples in Spain |
| title_full | Ethanol and Medical Psychotropics Co-Consumption in European Countries: Results from a Three-Year Retrospective Study of Forensic Samples in Spain |
| title_fullStr | Ethanol and Medical Psychotropics Co-Consumption in European Countries: Results from a Three-Year Retrospective Study of Forensic Samples in Spain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ethanol and Medical Psychotropics Co-Consumption in European Countries: Results from a Three-Year Retrospective Study of Forensic Samples in Spain |
| title_short | Ethanol and Medical Psychotropics Co-Consumption in European Countries: Results from a Three-Year Retrospective Study of Forensic Samples in Spain |
| title_sort | ethanol and medical psychotropics co consumption in european countries results from a three year retrospective study of forensic samples in spain |
| topic | compulsory autopsies toxicological findings medical psychotropics blood alcohol concentrations polypharmacy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/1/45 |
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