[Suicidal poisoning with tricyclic antidepressants]

Abstract

In the period from 1989 to 1998, 98 patients with suicidal tricyclic antidepressants poisoning were treated, including 47 men and 51 women from 16 to 74 (mean 35) years old. Thirty persons were poisoned by tricyclic antidepressants, in 68 remaining cases intoxications were mixed eg. including tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines, phenothiazines, barbiturates, alcohol, amizepine, salicylates. The main causes of suicides were various kinds of depression (66%) as well as psychopathy and sociopathy (18%). Twenty patients attempted repeatedly to commit suicide. These were mainly patients suffering from endogenous depression, psychopathy and schizophrenia. In the examined group five patients died (5%) but three women out of them were aged, suffered from congestive heart failure and were poisoned with tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and barbiturates.