Suicidal Behavior and Its Relationship with Postmortem Forensic Toxicological Findings
Suicide affects all sociodemographic levels, age groups, and populations worldwide. The factors that can increase the risk of suicidal tendencies are widely studied. The aim of this study was to analyze the types and combinations of toxics found in fatal suicide victims with different suicide mechan...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/6/319 |
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| author | Aurelia Collados-Ros Carmen Torres-Sánchez María Dolores Pérez-Cárceles Aurelio Luna Isabel Legaz |
| author_facet | Aurelia Collados-Ros Carmen Torres-Sánchez María Dolores Pérez-Cárceles Aurelio Luna Isabel Legaz |
| author_sort | Aurelia Collados-Ros |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Suicide affects all sociodemographic levels, age groups, and populations worldwide. The factors that can increase the risk of suicidal tendencies are widely studied. The aim of this study was to analyze the types and combinations of toxics found in fatal suicide victims with different suicide mechanisms. A total of 355 autopsies were retrospectively studied, and 26 toxics were determined and related to mechanisms of suicide. Hanging (55%), drug overdose (22.7%), and jumping from a height (17.8%) were most represented suicide mechanisms with positive toxicology. Hanging was the most represented in men (50.3%; <i>p</i> = 0.019), while jumping from a height was more represented in women (29.7%, <i>p</i> = 0.028). Drugs of abuse were the most frequent toxics found in men (55.5%; <i>p</i> < 0.001), while medicines were the most frequent type found in women (70.3%, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Alcohol, nordiazepam, cocaine, and venlafaxine were the most consumed toxics. Benzodiazepines and venlafaxine were found in suicides involving drug overdose, hanging, and jumping from a height. In conclusion, most suicides were associated with drug abuse in men. Hanging was more represented in men and jumping from a height in women. Alcohol was present in combination with other toxics and medicines. The toxicological analysis is fundamental to understanding consumption patterns and establishing strategies and protocols for detecting and preventing suicide. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:20:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3ea53631034411d8a4a9894216b1480 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-6304 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:20:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3ea53631034411d8a4a9894216b14802023-11-23T19:16:16ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042022-06-0110631910.3390/toxics10060319Suicidal Behavior and Its Relationship with Postmortem Forensic Toxicological FindingsAurelia Collados-Ros0Carmen Torres-Sánchez1María Dolores Pérez-Cárceles2Aurelio Luna3Isabel Legaz4Department of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute (IMIB), Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainDepartment of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute (IMIB), Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainDepartment of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute (IMIB), Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainDepartment of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute (IMIB), Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainDepartment of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute (IMIB), Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainSuicide affects all sociodemographic levels, age groups, and populations worldwide. The factors that can increase the risk of suicidal tendencies are widely studied. The aim of this study was to analyze the types and combinations of toxics found in fatal suicide victims with different suicide mechanisms. A total of 355 autopsies were retrospectively studied, and 26 toxics were determined and related to mechanisms of suicide. Hanging (55%), drug overdose (22.7%), and jumping from a height (17.8%) were most represented suicide mechanisms with positive toxicology. Hanging was the most represented in men (50.3%; <i>p</i> = 0.019), while jumping from a height was more represented in women (29.7%, <i>p</i> = 0.028). Drugs of abuse were the most frequent toxics found in men (55.5%; <i>p</i> < 0.001), while medicines were the most frequent type found in women (70.3%, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Alcohol, nordiazepam, cocaine, and venlafaxine were the most consumed toxics. Benzodiazepines and venlafaxine were found in suicides involving drug overdose, hanging, and jumping from a height. In conclusion, most suicides were associated with drug abuse in men. Hanging was more represented in men and jumping from a height in women. Alcohol was present in combination with other toxics and medicines. The toxicological analysis is fundamental to understanding consumption patterns and establishing strategies and protocols for detecting and preventing suicide.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/6/319alcoholautopsiesdrugs of abuseforensic toxicologypsychotropic drugssuicides |
| spellingShingle | Aurelia Collados-Ros Carmen Torres-Sánchez María Dolores Pérez-Cárceles Aurelio Luna Isabel Legaz Suicidal Behavior and Its Relationship with Postmortem Forensic Toxicological Findings Toxics alcohol autopsies drugs of abuse forensic toxicology psychotropic drugs suicides |
| title | Suicidal Behavior and Its Relationship with Postmortem Forensic Toxicological Findings |
| title_full | Suicidal Behavior and Its Relationship with Postmortem Forensic Toxicological Findings |
| title_fullStr | Suicidal Behavior and Its Relationship with Postmortem Forensic Toxicological Findings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Suicidal Behavior and Its Relationship with Postmortem Forensic Toxicological Findings |
| title_short | Suicidal Behavior and Its Relationship with Postmortem Forensic Toxicological Findings |
| title_sort | suicidal behavior and its relationship with postmortem forensic toxicological findings |
| topic | alcohol autopsies drugs of abuse forensic toxicology psychotropic drugs suicides |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/6/319 |
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