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A case of fatal poisoning caused by etomidate: evidence from pathological and toxicological analyses
Yinyu Chen1, Jiaqi Liu2, Tao Song1
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Hainan Provincial Tropical Forensic Engineering Research Center, Hainan Provincial Academician Workstation (tropical forensic medicine), Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
Abstract:
Etomidate is a nonbarbiturate sedative derived from imidazole. Prolonged and excessive use of etomidate can lead to the suppression of adrenocortical function, myoclonus, and even death. This report describes a rare case of a 47-year-old man who died from acute intoxication after oral ingestion of liquid containing etomidate. The cause of death was conclusively attributed to etomidate based on a comprehensive investigation, including autopsy, histopathological examination, toxicological analysis, and biochemical analysis. This is the first reported case of a fatality solely resulting from the oral ingestion of etomidate, which can provide valuable insights for future forensic investigations involving etomidate poisoning. Therefore, it is imperative to share this case with the scientific community.
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