2025 Volume 38 Issue 1 Pages 31-35
We report cases of medical personnel engaging in fatal self-drug use in forensic autopsy cases at our institutes. Among the six relevant cases from 2011 to 2022, five involved males, and one involved a female. The median age was 32.5 years. Four cases involved medical doctors (two anesthesiologists and two surgical clinicians), while the remaining two involved nurses. Three cases each were suicide and accident. The most frequently detected drug was Propofol, and the other drugs were also those used mainly for anesthesia and sedation in specific settings such as operating rooms and intensive care units. Their use without respiratory support could be fatal, even with blood concentrations below the fatal range. The patients had a history of physical illness, personal problems, and psychiatric issues like insomnia and anxiety in some cases. Additionally, there were also cases where signs of substance abuse, such as the presence of syringes around them, were observed. Considering the case's background, along with the stricter regulation and management of drugs that have a high risk of dependence due to their pharmacological effects, both organizational measures, including personal intervention leading to treatment and consultation and support systems within the organization, were deemed necessary.
