SUDDEN-DEATH AND BENZODIAZEPINES

A study of 16 deaths associated with toxic concentrations of benzodiaz epines during the period of 5 years leading up to July 1994 is present ed. Cases where other drugs, including ethanol, had contributed to the death were excluded. All cases were subject to a Full macroscopic and microscopic examination by pathologists, and all cases were subject t o a full toxicological work-up. Preexisting natural disease was a feat ure of 11 cases. In the remaining five cases, death was caused solely by benzodiazepines. There were 14 suicides. Nitrazepam and temazepam w ere the most prevalent drugs detected, followed by oxazepam and flunit razepam. Minimum toxic femoral blood concentrations of 7-aminonitrazep am, 7-aminoflunitrazepam, and oxazepam were estimated as 0.5, 0.2, and 2 mg/L, respectively. Relating these deaths to prescription rates in Victoria suggest that flunitrazepam may be inherently more toxic if mi sused than other benzodiazepines currently available on the Australian market.