Lethal suicidal intoxication with propafenone, after a history of self-inflicted injuries.
Report of a suicidal mono-intoxication with the class IC antiarrythmic drug propafenone. A 20-year-old female physician's assistant secretly ingested the substance (presumably 20 tablets per 300 mg) about 4-6 h before her death, and in the interim remained under the supervision of her physician. An ECG taken about 1/2-2 h after ingestion showed widening of the QRS complex and signs of an acute load of the right ventricle; the clinical symptoms were nausea, vomiting and hypotonia. After about 4 h without serious symptoms acute loss of consciousness and cardiac failure occurred, resuscitation efforts remained unsuccessful. At autopsy propafenone was found in blood (12 micrograms ml-1), liver (60 micrograms g-1) and cardiac muscle (11 micrograms g-1).
Maxeiner
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H
Institute of Legal Medicine, UK Benjamin Franklin, Free University, Berlin, Germany.
Klug
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E
D000328:Adult; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D001344:Autopsy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry; D011405:Propafenone / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000523:psychology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D011405:Propafenone