[Suicidal poisoning with antihypertensive drugs]

Abstract

In the period from 1990 to 2002, 201 patients with suicidal antihypertensive drugs poisoning were treated, including 138 women and 63 men from 15 to 84 (mean 36) years old. The main causes of suicides were various kinds of depression (63%) as well as psychopathy and/or sociopathy (16%) and schizophrenia (10%). Twenty eight patients attempted repeatedly to commit suicide. Thirty six persons were poisoned by only antihypertensive drugs, in 165 remaining cases intoxications were mixed including antihypertensive and other different medications. beta-blockers (38.3%), calcium channel blockers (34.8%), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (24.3%) and diuretics (2.5%) were used in suicidal attempts. There were no suicidal poisonings with angiotensin II AT1 receptor antagonists, alpha 1-blockers and imidazole receptor agonists. In the examined group three patients died of cardiogenic shock, electromechanical dissociation and secondary acute respiratory failure resistant to therapy. The drugs used in these cases were propranolol, amlodipine, theophylline, captopril, doxepine, propafenone, furosemide, methimazole and alcohol. Mortality rate in antihypertensive drug poisonings was 1.5%.