Suicide by insulin injection in combination with beta-blocker application.
A 68-year-old non-diabetic physician with a known psychiatric history was found dead in his home. The death scene investigation revealed three used insulin syringes on the coffee table next to the body. The autopsy and the consecutive chemical-toxicological investigation revealed that the deceased committed suicide by injecting an overdose of insulin in combination with a high therapeutic oral bolus application of a beta-blocker (Metoprolol). A surprising morphological finding was a terminal pulmonary thromboembolism in the right pulmonary artery.
Junge
M
M
Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Hamburg, Butenfeld 34, 22529, Hamburg, Germany. junge_m@web.de
Tsokos
M
M
Püschel
K
K
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000506:poisoning*; D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000506:poisoning*; D007328:Insulin / Q000506:poisoning*; D008297:Male; D008790:Metoprolol / Q000506:poisoning*; D010815:Physician Impairment; D011041:Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D013405:Suicide; D014116:Toxicology / Q000379:methods*
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D008790:Metoprolol