Deaths of Alcoholic Patients Treated with Disulfiram (Tetraethylthiuram Disulfide) in Denmark

Abstract

In Denmark 17 fatal cases have been reported among 11,000 patients treated with disulfiram. Most of these cases had no connection with the medication, but 3 or 4 were unexpected and unexplained by the post-mortem examination. All these died in connection with intake of alcohol with a sudden respiratory collapse. The case histories of these patients are given together with the case histories of two others who died with similar symptoms after excessive intake of alcohol, but without having been treated with disulfiram.