Postmortem changes and pharmacokinetics: review of the literature and case report.
OBJECTIVE
To review the mechanisms and sequence of events that occur during ischemia and cell death and following death of the human body. The impact of these postmortem events on the distribution and pharmacokinetic behavior of drugs is described. The case study presented illustrates a possible situation where such postmortem changes could have affected the pharmacokinetics of procainamide.


METHODS
English-language journal articles and reference texts identified from pertinent data sources.


RESULTS
Postmortem changes in the human body begin at the cellular level with the onset of ischemia. As the length of time of ischemia increases and death ensues, more changes occur and lead to deterioration in tissue and organ function. These changes may affect the pharmacokinetic and distribution behavior of certain drugs. Drugs particularly affected are those whose distribution is dependent on molecular size, lipophilicity, pH, energy-dependent transport, and tissue binding. Such drugs include the tricyclic antidepressants, digoxin, and cimetidine. Other drugs with similar characteristics, such as procainamide, may also demonstrate like changes in distribution and pharmacokinetics.


CONCLUSIONS
When measuring drug concentrations after death, it is important to consider the phenomenon of postmortem redistribution. Postmortem drug concentrations may not be a true reflection of antemortem concentrations and as a result, wrong conclusions could be made about the cause of death. More studies characterizing the postmortem distribution and pharmacokinetic characteristics of specific drugs are necessary.
Shepherd
M F
MF
Department of Pharmacy, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, MN 55407.
Lake
K D
KD
Kamps
M A
MA
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004077:Digoxin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D011180:Postmortem Changes
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D004077:Digoxin