title: Olanzapine-related fatality.
abstract: A 43-year-old male psychiatric outpatient died within hours of ingesting as much as 600 mg of olanzapine, a newer antipsychotic agent related to clozapine. Analysis of postmortem blood and urine by gas chromatography with nitrogen-selective detection yielded olanzapine concentrations of 1238 and 6987 micrograms/L, respectively, greatly in excess of levels expected following therapeutic administration of the drug. Based on the toxicology findings, the decedent's known history of suicide attempts, and the circumstances surrounding the death, this case was ruled a suicide by olanzapine overdosage.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Toxicology Institute, Foster City, CA, USA.
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Baselt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000652:urine; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning / Q000652:urine; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D010890:Pirenzepine; D000077152:Olanzapine