GC/MS determination of zolpidem in postmortem specimens in a voluntary intoxication

An ingestion of an unknown quantity of Ivadal (zolpidem) tablets in a case of drug abuse is described. The authors report a new and fast method of analysing and determining the zolpidem concentration in postmortem specimens. Quantitation of zolpidem was performed by ethyl acetate extraction from alkalinized body fluids before GC/MS analysis. The analyses were performed without any complex sample clean-up steps and with little sample material. Postmortem concentrations of zolpidem in body fluids are given. The proposed method is a rapid procedure of analysis in cases of deliberate poisoning with the sedative-hypnotic drug, zolpidem.