The redistribution of selected psychiatric drugs in post-mortem cases.
The post-mortem redistribution of a number of psychiatric drugs was investigated. A portion of liver, the gastric contents and blood collected from heart and femoral sites was obtained from 13 cases and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Drugs detected included five selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; venlafaxine, a serotonin/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor; and risperidone, an atypical antipsychotic. Heart blood concentrations were significantly higher (3.4-fold on average) than those measured in femoral blood when results from all drugs were included together. The range for parent drug concentrations in these two blood specimens was 0.5-6.2. There was no significant correlation of the post-mortem interval, the liver concentration and content of drugs in the gastric contents to the heart:femoral blood concentration ratio. These data serve to demonstrate that variable increases in blood concentration occur post-mortem and limit the interpretative value of such toxicological data.
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Southbank, VIC, Australia.
Kabrena E
KE
Rodda
Olaf H
OH
Drummer
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D018967:Risperidone / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D018967:Risperidone; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride