ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 4

A Fatality Due to Flurazepam
Dow, CA
Chief Scientist and Hon. Senior Research Fellow; Scientist-in-Charge; Scientist; Pathologist; Assistant Director and Hon. Associate Professor, Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

McIntyre, IM
Chief Scientist and Hon. Senior Research Fellow; Scientist-in-Charge; Scientist; Pathologist; Assistant Director and Hon. Associate Professor, Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

Lawrence, KL
Chief Scientist and Hon. Senior Research Fellow; Scientist-in-Charge; Scientist; Pathologist; Assistant Director and Hon. Associate Professor, Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

Syrjanen, ML
Chief Scientist and Hon. Senior Research Fellow; Scientist-in-Charge; Scientist; Pathologist; Assistant Director and Hon. Associate Professor, Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

Drummer, OH
Chief Scientist and Hon. Senior Research Fellow; Scientist-in-Charge; Scientist; Pathologist; Assistant Director and Hon. Associate Professor, Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

(Received 31 January 1994; accepted 7 April 1994)

Abstract

A fatality attributed to suicidal ingestion of up to 2.2 grams of flurazepam is described. The deceased was a 52-year old female with a history of depression and suicidal attempts. No significant pathology was found at autopsy. Full toxicological analyses detected only flurazepam and metabolites in her tissues. The concentrations of flurazepam in femoral blood, liver, bile, vitreous humor and urine were 5.5 mg/L, 130 mg/kg, 33 mg/L, 1.3 mg/L and 3.3 mg/L, respectively. Analysis of gastric contents showed 600 mg of flurazepam. Desalkylflurazepam was also detected in blood, liver, bile and vitreous, but at much lower concentrations than the parent compound.

Keywords:
toxicology, pathology and biology, flurazepam

Paper ID: JFS13746J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13746J
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