Drug abuse and intoxication in alcoholics.

The frequency of drug, alcohol and combined alcohol/drug intoxication in forensic autopsy material is described. Alcoholics had frequently abused drugs; the cause of death was drug intoxication in 12%, combined alcohol/drug intoxication in 13%, and alcohol intoxication only in 4%. The manner of death was different in the various groups as it was almost equally stated as accident, suicide and unascertainable, respectively, with only drugs involved, whereas accidents were the predominant features in the combined alcohol/drug intoxication among alcoholics. In controls, accidents predominated on both types of intoxication. The alcoholics seemed to be more 'deliberately' choosing suicide with drugs, while both alcoholics and controls need more information with regard to the dangers of mixing alcohol and drugs. The frequency of combined alcohol and drug intoxication was much higher in alcoholics.