[Two cases of diphenhydramine related suicide].
Two suicidal cases associated with ingestion of diphenhydramine (DPH) were reported. Case 1 is a typical DPH overdose case of a young man with the blood DPH concentration of 12.2 microg/ mL. Case 2 is a double suicide of a man and a woman. They ingested DPH and fell asleep in a vehicle which had a cooking clay charcoal stove. Their blood DPH concentrations were 0.4 and 0.7 microg/mL, which were high enough to make them sleep. Their cause of death, however, was carbon monoxide poisoning with blood CO-Hb concentration of 14 and 19%. DPH is a low toxic agent and is available as an OTC drug in Japan. Similar fatal cases can be expected to happen in Japan.
Yonemitsu
Kosei
K
Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University.
Koreeda
Ako
A
Kohmatsu
Hiroe
H
Ohtsu
Yuki
Y
Mimasaka
Sohtaro
S
Tsunenari
Shigeyuki
S
D000328:Adult; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning; D004155:Diphenhydramine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013405:Suicide
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D004155:Diphenhydramine