Analysis of the Use of Drugs as a Method of Suicide Attempts in Emergency Patients from Different Hospitals in Córdoba

Abstract

Attempted suicide is defined as a deliberate act in which a person tries to end their own life but does not succeed. Drug ingestion is one of the most common methods of attempted suicide. The objective of this study is to investigate the drugs used for this purpose, their
dosages, and how they were obtained, as well as whether other methods of self-harm were involved.

Inclusion criteria were: adults, voluntary participation with signed informed consent (IC), alert consciousness, and no prior diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. Exclusion criteria included: minors, refusal to sign the IC, patients with altered consciousness, or those with a previous diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. During July 2024, a descriptive observational study was conducted in the province of Córdoba, with informed consent signed by the interviewees at the following hospitals: HTCA, HC, and HNC. Data were collected from 20 patients: 12 women and 8 men. The most
common ages were between 18 and 30 years (15 individuals): 11 women and 4 men; followed by 5 individuals over 30 years old, with a predominance of 4 men versus 1 woman.

Among the most commonly used methods, drug ingestion was prevalent (70%), with 80% of the cases being women, followed by self-harm (30%), with a predominance of men at 66%. The medications used are detailed as follows: clonazepam with a maximum ingested dose of 70 mg, followed by alprazolam 40 mg, paracetamol 36 g, and risperidone 90 mg. All medications were obtained from the homes of relatives (mostly elderly people), and none of the patients were under treatment with these medications.

The research highlights significant concern about the access to certain medications in the home, underscoring the need for better regulation and oversight of these products. Although further data are needed, we consider this research to be of great importance in public health, given the increasing suicide rates among the young population in Argentina.