title: Concentration of drugs in blood of suspected impaired drivers.
abstract: Analytical records concerning 440 living drivers suspected of driving under the influence of drug (DUID) were collected and examined during a 2 years period ranging from 2002 to 2003 in canton de Vaud, Valais, Jura and Fribourg (Switzerland). This study included 400 men (91%) and 40 women (9%). The average age of the drivers was 28+/-10 years (minimum 16 and maximum 81). One or more psychoactive drugs were found in 89% of blood samples. Half of cases (223 of 440, 50.7%) involved consumption of mixtures (from 2 to 6) of psychoactive drugs. The most commonly detected drugs in whole blood were cannabinoids (59%), ethanol (46%), benzodiazepines (13%), cocaine (13%), amphetamines (9%), opiates (9%) and methadone (7%). Among these 440 cases, 11-carboxy-THC (THCCOOH) was found in 59% (median 25 ng/ml (1-215 ng/ml)), Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in 53% (median 3 ng/ml (1-35 ng/ml)), ethanol in 46% (median 1.19 g/kg (0.14-2.95 g/kg)), benzoylecgonine in 13% (median 250 ng/ml (29-2430 ng/ml)), free morphine in 7% (median 10 ng/ml (1-111 ng/ml)), methadone in 7% (median 110 ng/ml (27-850 ng/ml)), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in 6% (median 218 ng/ml (10-2480 ng/ml)), nordiazepam in 5% (median 305 ng/ml (30-1560 ng/ml)), free codeine in 5% (median 5 ng/ml (1-13 ng/ml)), midazolam in 5% (median 44 ng/ml (20-250 ng/ml)), cocaine in 5% (median 50 ng/ml (15-560 ng/ml)), amphetamine in 4% (median 54 ng/ml (10-183 ng/ml)), diazepam in 2% (median 200 ng/ml (80-630 ng/ml)) and oxazepam in 2% (median 230 ng/ml (165-3830 ng/ml)). Other drugs, such as lorazepam, zolpidem, mirtazapine, methaqualone, were found in less than 1% of the cases.
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire de Médecine Légale, Rue du Bugnon 21, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland. Marc.Augsburger@hospvd.ch
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Augsburger
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Donzé
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ménétrey
authors.forename: Clarisse
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brossard
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sporkert
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giroud
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mangin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000097:blood*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D013557:Switzerland
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs