title: Acute flurazepam intoxication: a case report.
abstract: A fatality due to ingestion of flurazepam is reported. Flurazepam is a benzodiazepine, a widely prescribed hypnotic drug for use in sleep disorders. There are only few documented reports of the disposition of flurazepam in deaths due to overdose. A 68-year-old woman was found deceased at home with no evidence of trauma or asphyxia. Toxicologic analyses were performed and drug levels measured by means of gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The flurazepam concentration in each specimen was as follows: heart blood 2.8 microg/mL, bile 323 microg/mL, and urine 172 microg/mL. Presence of flurazepam into gastric content was observed too. Based on the autopsy findings, patient history, and toxicologic results, the cause of death was determined to be acute intoxication of flurazepam and the manner, suicide.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. simona.martello@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martello
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Giorgio
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiarotti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001646:Bile / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005479:Flurazepam / Q000032:analysis* / Q000506:poisoning*; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D005479:Flurazepam