title: Blood codeine concentrations in fatalities associated with codeine.
abstract: The toxicologic findings in eight cases of death due primarily to codeine overdosage are presented. Blood codeine concentrations ranged from 1.4 to 5.6 mug/ml as determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Morphine was found in only two of the blood samples, at concentrations of 0.2 and 0.6 mug/ml, and may have resulted from heroin usage rather than codeine metabolism. A case of death of a codeine user by violent means is also presented in which the blood codeine concentration was 2.6 mug/ml.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003061:Codeine / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000652:urine; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D009020:Morphine; D003061:Codeine