title: Two cases of fatal zopiclone overdose.
abstract: Two cases of death due to the ingestion of zopiclone are presented. Quantitative determinations of zopiclone yielded 1.4-3.9 mg/L in the blood, 0.81 and 8.7 mg/kg in the liver, and 13.5 and 133 mg in the stomach contents. Drug concentrations were interpreted relative to the case findings, published data, and a limited evaluation of therapeutic concentrations found in two cases of therapeutic zopiclone use. Zopiclone was extracted from buffered blood or digested liver or both with n-butyl chloride and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Liver samples were digested at pH 7 to avoid zopiclone decomposition.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Science & Research Limited, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Boniface
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D053961:Azabicyclo Compounds; D062787:Drug Overdose; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000506:poisoning*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*
chemical_list: D053961:Azabicyclo Compounds; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010879:Piperazines; C515050:zopiclone