Comparative Study of Postmortem Concentrations of Benzodiazepines and Z-Hypnotics in Several Different Matrices.

ABSTRACT: Benzodiazepines and z-hypnotics are detected in the majority of fatal overdose cases in Norway, often in combination with other drugs of abuse, and their concentrations in peripheral blood (PB) might be important to elucidate the cause of death. In some forensic autopsies, PB is however not available. The aim of the present study was to compare concentrations of benzodiazepines and z-hypnotics in five alternative matrices to assess whether these concentrations are comparable to concentrations in PB. A total of 109 forensic autopsy cases were included. PB, cardiac blood (CB), pericardial fluid (PF), psoas muscle (PM), lateral vastus muscle (LVM) and vitreous humor (VH) from each case were analyzed using ultra high performance liquid chromatography--tandem mass spectrometry. We were able to

SUBMITTER: Oiestad EL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10037634 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature