Study warns over intentional medication overdose

Clinicians should consider the risk posed by certain medication when determining treatment for patients at risk of self-harming or who have a record of doing so, according to a new study.

The research investigated non-fatal and fatal intentional drug overdose (IDO) and found that particular classes of antidepressants and some common painkiller drugs were associated with a “significantly increased risk of death following intentional overdose”.