A COMPILATION OF FATAL AND CONTROL CONCENTRATIONS OF DRUGS IN POSTMORTEM FEMORAL BLOOD

A compilation of postmortem femoral blood concentrations of drugs is p resented. The samples are collected from cases in which the cause of d eath was: A) certified intoxication by one substance alone, B) certifi ed intoxication by more than one substance and/or alcohol, and C) cert ified other cause of death without incapacitation due to drugs. The co ncentrations were compared with blood concentrations detected in suspe cted drugged drivers (D), and with previously published fatal and ther apeutic concentrations. The special features of this compilation are: 1) exclusively femoral blood concentrations are quoted, 2) all analyse s are based on samples handled according to a standardized, quality-co ntrolled procedure, 3) two control groups are included, and 4) one-sub stance-only intoxications are separated from other intoxications. The material is based on a selection of 15,800 samples sent to the Departm ent of Forensic Chemistry in Linkoping, Sweden, during 1992 to 1995 fr om the six forensic pathology units in Sweden, and the list includes 8 3 drugs. The compilation includes drugs, where previously published da ta are scarce. Furthermore, the data gathered from cases with other ca use of death than intoxication (group C) constitute a new kind of refe rence information, which probably offers a better estimate of obviousl y non fatal levels in postmortem blood than any compilation of therape utic concentrations in living subjects. The possible factors influenci ng postmortem drug concentrations are discussed.