Table 2.
Detection of psychoactive substances in all deaths, n (%)
| Norway | Sweden | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural deaths n = 32 | Suicides n = 136 | Accidents n = 157 | P-value (×2) | Natural deaths n = 108 | Suicides n = 192 | Accidents n = 124 | Undetermined deaths n = 59 | P-value (× 2) | |
| Alcohols | 10 (31) | 36 (27) | 49 (31)o | 0.650 | 37 (34) | 73 (38) | 44 (36) o | 20 (34) | 0.894 |
| Ethanol | 10 (31) | 36 (27) | 47 (30) | 37 (34) | 73 (38) | 44 (36) | 20 (34) | ||
| Toxic alcoholsa | 0 | 1 (1) | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Opioids | 1 (3) | 16 (12) | 87 (55)*** | < 0.001 | 10 (9) | 27 (14) | 38 (31)*** | 20 (34) | < 0.001 |
| Heroin/morphine | 0 | 7 (5) | 65 (41) | 2 (2) | 4 (2) | 13 (11) | 6 (10) | ||
| Other opioidsb | 1 (3) | 11 (8) | 30 (19) | 9 (8) | 25 (13) | 29 (23) | 18 (31) | ||
| Cannabinoids | 2 (6) | 6 (4) | 20 (13)* | 0.036 | 4 (4) | 3 (2) | 10 (8)** | 3 (5) | 0.042 |
| Psychostimulantsc | 1 (3) | 10 (7) | 24 (15)* | 0.031 | 3 (3) | 6 (3) | 15 (12)** | 4 (7) | 0.004 |
| Benzodiazepines and z-drugsd | 3 (9) | 46 (34) | 64 (41)o | 0.003 | 12 (11) | 49 (26) | 30 (24)o | 22 (37) | 0.001 |
| Sedative antihistaminese | 1 (3) | 9 (7) | 8 (5)o | 0.698 | 8 (7) | 33 (17) | 14 (11)o | 14 (24) | 0.013 |
| Antidepressants | 3 (9) | 30 (22) | 23 (15)o | 0.114 | 7 (7) | 56 (29) | 21 (17)* | 22 (37) | < 0.001 |
| SSRI/SNRI | 3 (9) | 21 (15) | 15 (10) | 6 (6) | 50 (26) | 17 (14) | 19 (32) | ||
| Other antidepressants | 0 | 12 (9) | 12 (8) | 1 (1) | 16 (8) | 8 (7) | 5 (9) | ||
| Antipsychotics | 2 (6) | 16 (12) | 12 (8)o | 0.396 | 1 (1) | 6 (3) | 5 (4)o | 2 (3) | 0.543 |
| Antiepilepticsf | 0 | 7 (5) | 10 (6)o | 0.336 | 7 (7) | 11 (6) | 4 (3)o | 2 (3) | 0.600 |
| Other/unspecified psychoactive agentsg | 3 (9) | 12 (9) | 19 (12)o | 0.644 | 1 (1) | 5 (3) | 1 (1)o | 3 (5) | 0.205 |
| Any psychoactive agent | 16 (50) | 90 (66) | 134 (85)*** | < 0.001 | 57 (53) | 142 (74) | 82 (66)o | 47 (80) | < 0.001 |
aMethanol, isopropanolol
bMethadone, buphrenorphine, oxycodone, ketobimedone, tramadol, fentanyl, dextropropoxyphene. Includes combination drugs containing codeine, but not codeine assumed to be derived from heroin/morphine
cAmphetamine/methamphetamine, cocaine/benzoylecgonine, MMA, ecstasy and related substances
dZolpidem and zopiclone
eAlimemazine, promethazine, dexchlorfeniramine, hydroxyzine and related substances
fKarbamazepin, lamotrigin, fenobarbital, gabapentin, pregabalin, fenytoin, topiramat (not benzodiazepines)
gGHB, nimbex, tiopental, baclofen, propofol, ketamin, butan, orfenadrin, somadril/karsiprodol, biperiden, kloroxazon
oAccidents not significantly different from suicides (p-value > 0.05)
*Accidents significantly different from suicides (p-value < 0.05)
**Accidents significantly different from suicides (p-value < 0.01)
***Accidents significantly different from suicides (p-value < 0.001)