AMPHETAMINE DERIVATIVE RELATED DEATHS

Amphetamine its methylendioxy (methylendioxyamphetamine methylenedioxy methylamphetamine, methylenedioxyethylamphetamine) and methoxy derivat ives (p-methoxyamphetamine and p-methoxymethylamphetamine) are widely abused in Spanish society. We present here the results of a systematic study of all cases of deaths brought to the attention of the Madrid d epartment of the Institute Nacional de Toxicologia from 1993 to 1995 i n which some of these drugs have been found in the cadaveric blood. Th e cases were divided into three categories: amphetamine and derivative s, amphetamines and alcohol, amphetamines and other drugs. Data on age , sex, clinical symptoms, morphological findings, circumstances of dea th, when known, and concentration of amphetamine derivatives, alcohol and other drugs in blood are given for each group. The information pro vided here may prove to be useful for the forensic interpretation of d eaths which are directly or indirectly related to abuse of amphetamine derivatives. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.