[HIV-1 prevalence in deaths caused by drug overdose in various large cities of West Germany and West Berlin between 1985 and 1988].

The development of the HIV-1-prevalence among drug deaths (n = 753) in several German cities (West Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Bremen, Cologne and Stuttgart) from 1985 to 1988 was evaluated; in 1988 43% of 674 deceased drug addicts were examined. The regional prevalence rate was between 15 and 25%; only in Berlin 42% of the drug deaths were HIV-infected (cumulated data of all cities over the 4-year-period: 26%). There was no uniform or steady regional development of HIV-1-prevalence in the different cities.

[Risks and perspectives of drug dependence. Catamnestic results in 100 opiate addicts during the access years 1969-1974].

The further development of 100 young drug addicts of the opiate type (72 males, 28 females) who had been medically assessed by court or police order between 1969 and 1974 was evaluated over 10 to 15 years. Until the end of 1983 20 clients had died, 14 males and 6 females. The state of the survivors was separated into 5 categories according to drug dependency, rate of delinquency and assurance of income.

[Survival rate of drug addicts. Longitudinal analysis of 530 outpatient clients for the admissions years 1969 to 1977].

The mortality amongst 530 out-patient drug-addicts, dependent mainly on opiates and being first registered between 1969 and 1977, was analysed. This grand total (27% females, median age 19 years, 73% males, median age 20 years) was subdivided into three groups with variable observation follow-up according to the time-shift of consumed main drugs. Until the demarcation day 31 December 1982 81 clients (15%) died.

[Treatment of drug addicts under the aspect of medicoprofessional ethics (author's transl)].

The problem of an effective treatment of drug addicts is getting more and more important. This applies in particular to youngsters who have become addicted to opiate drugs. The medical profession is confronted by the question to what extent they can contribute towards tackling this task.

[Recognizing and treating drug addicts. Part 2. Differential diagnosis, therapy].

Persons addicted to opiates often have fresh injection scars on the skin directly above the veins in the arms and legs. These appear as well as scars from abscesses and burns, tattoos, advanced tooth decay and signs of chronic hepatitis. An intensive consumption of hallucinogens is often connected to an inclination toward apathy and a loss of contact to reality (amotivational syndrome).

[The effectiveness of the criminal justice system in cases of opiate addiction (author's transl)].

On the 63 deliquent youth drug addicts examined by the author as a court-appointed expert during the years 1970-1973, an attempt was made in the summer of 1975 to ascertain their actual current condition. This was indeed possible with 58 of the subjects in question (43 male, 15 female--average age at the time of examination.: 21).