Psychoactive Drug Related Traumatic Deaths in Istanbul between 1990-2000

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify characteristics of drug related traumatic deaths in Istanbul between 1990 and 2000. This retrospective descriptive study was set in the Council of Forensic Medicine, Ministry of Justice. During the period studied 143 people (86 % males, 14 % females) who took a drug died after traumatic events. The mean age was 37.7 +/- 13.6 years. The most common causes of deaths were asphyxia and blunt force injury. Benzodiazepines, cannabis and heroin were the most commonly used drugs. While benzodiazepines are common in self-directed violence cases such as suicide by asphyxia, cannabis was frequent among interpersonal violence cases as homicide by shooting. Heroin was approximately equally seen in all traumatic deaths. Benzodiazepine and heroin use are especially frequent among non-violence deaths (road traffic accidents).