TWELVE YEAR RETROSPECTIVE STUDY ON ТHE FORENSIC ASPECTS AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN VITAL ORGANS AND SYSTEMS IN CASES OF LONG TERM DRUG ABUSE


Authors: T. Kiryakova, Al. Alexandrov
Keywords: Drug addiction, chronic use, morphological changes, forensic medicine

Abstract:
Drugs are substances that affect the psychic, emotional and physical state of the individual. They have health-related consequences as they pose increased risk of internal organ damage in varying degrees, as well as intoxication and death. Today drug addiction is still of great social, medical, legal and criminological significance regardless the worldwide measures taken to combat drug distribution and use. In the Department of Forensic Medicine and Deontology, Medical Faculty, Medical University - Sofia, Bulgaria, a retrospective study on the forensic aspects and morphological changes in vital organs and systems after long-term use of narcotic substances has been carried out for the period of 2006-2017. The performed chemical analysis showed that the most frequently used drugs were from the opioid group, alone or in combination with other psychoactive substances, impurities or alcohol. In connection with the prolonged abuse of narcotic substances, we observed different morphological changes in the heart, lungs, brain, liver and kidney tissue. Even though the identified changes are mainly non-specific, considered together, they could be classified as characteristic in cases of people abusing with psychoactive drugs. Knowing the morphological characteristics of the changes in different tissues and organs could enable forensic and pathology specialists to properly diagnose the various cases and thus direct and assist the investigating authorities.Download article