EVALUATION OF LETHALITY CAUSED BY ACUTE POISONING WITH PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS IN ELDERLY AND SENILE PATIENTS IN N.V. SKLIFOSOVSKY RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICINE DURING 2013–2015

Abstract

We performed the clinical and morphological analysis of 84 elderly and senile patients, died of poisonings with psychoactive drugs in 2013–2015. There were two main drug agents: benzodiazepines and barbiturates. During the first 5 days intoxication was a cause of death in 15.5%, pneumonia — in 44%. The peak of mortality due to pneumonia was registered on week 3 and later in the presence of hypostasis. Morphological analysis showed various pathological findings in different lungs areas. Сirculation disorders, thrombosis, alternation of dystelectasis and emphysema, edema, atelectasis, bronchoconstriction, bronchiolitis and aerocele were detected out of pneumonic focuses. The most frequent abdominal pathological findings were liver and pancreatic steatosis. Prolonged toxic phase, crucial role of hypostasis in pneumonia incidence and the disease course on the background of acute and chronicle diseases were special aspects in this category of patients.

Keywords

• poisoning
• psychoactive agents
• pneumonia
• steatosis