title: Timely antemortem and postmortem concentrations in a fatal carbamazepine overdose.
abstract: There are no published reports that include both timely antemortem and postmortem carbamazepine concentrations after massive overdose. We report a fatal overdose of carbamazepine with both timely antemortem and postmortem carbamazepine concentrations. Carbamazepine concentrations were 47.7 mcg/mL 2 h antemortem and 53 mcg/mL at 9 h postmortem. The slight rise in drug concentration may reflect continued absorption of the drug in the last 2 h before death. Postmortem carbamazepine concentrations drawn from a peripheral vessel in this patient appeared to reflect drug concentrations at the time of death.
authors.affiliation: Kentucky Regional Poison Center of Kosair Children's Hospital, Louisville 40232-5070, USA.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Spiller
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Carlisle
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000328:Adult; D000654:Amobarbital / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000506:poisoning*; D062787:Drug Overdose; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D002220:Carbamazepine; D010672:Phenytoin; D000654:Amobarbital