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Related Experiment Videos

A fatality due to alprazolam intoxication

A J Jenkins1, B Levine, J L Locke

  • 1Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of Maryland, Baltimore 21201, USA.

Journal of Analytical Toxicology
|May 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary

This study reports a rare fatality from alprazolam (a common anxiety medication) overdose. High drug concentrations were found in tissues, with a record-high postmortem blood level.

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Area of Science:

  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Alprazolam is a widely prescribed benzodiazepine for anxiety and panic disorders.
  • Overdoses solely from alprazolam are infrequently reported.
  • This study investigates a fatal case of alprazolam intoxication.

Observation:

  • The case involved a fatality attributed to alprazolam intoxication.
  • Drug distribution was analyzed in postmortem tissues.
  • Analytical methods included gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography.

Findings:

  • High concentrations of alprazolam were detected in all analyzed tissues.
  • The active metabolite, alpha-hydroxyalprazolam, was found in specific tissues (subclavian blood, urine, bile, liver).
  • A postmortem heart blood concentration of 2.1 mg/L for alprazolam was recorded, the highest reported to date.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the potential for fatal outcomes with alprazolam, even when used alone.
  • Understanding drug and metabolite distribution in tissues is crucial for postmortem investigations.
  • The findings contribute to the toxicological data on alprazolam and its metabolites.

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