Fatal intoxication with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, lorazepam, and codeine.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were introduced in 1987 as an alternative treatment option for patients with depression or certain anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, this greater use has prompted a corresponding increase in reports of more severe side effects and fatalities, with a majority of fatalities occurring due to coingestion of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors with other substances or serotonergic drugs. We report a case which exemplifies one such fatality related to sertraline, lorazepam, and codeine coingestion. A brief discussion of the presumed mechanism by which death occurred will be offered.
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Emily R
ER
Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Hamilton Health Sciences Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Gorczynski
Laura
L
Fernandes
John R
JR
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D003061:Codeine / Q000633:toxicity; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D008140:Lorazepam / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000633:toxicity; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D020280:Sertraline / Q000633:toxicity
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D003061:Codeine; D008140:Lorazepam; D009294:Narcotics; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline