Heroin-related deaths in South Western Sydney, Australia, 1992-96

The coronial files of all 176 heroin-related fatalities that occurred in the South Western Sydney region over the period 1992-96 were inspected. Heroin-related fatalities rose from 20 in 1992 to 54 in 1996. The mean age of cases was 29.9 years, 89% were male and 92% were classified as dependent on heroin at the time of death. There was a significant increase over the study period in the proportion of fatalities that occurred in public settings. No intervention occurred in 71% of cases. Morphine concentrations rose over the study period from 0.16 mg/l in 1992 to 0.37 mg/l in 1996, The majority of cases involved heroin in combination with other drugs: alcohol (40%), benzodiazepines (30%) and antidepressants (9%). In only a third of cases was morphine the sole drug detected.