Fatal overdose of zopiclone in an elderly woman with bronchogenic carcinoma

Authors
Bramness, JG Arnestad, M Karinen, R Hilberg, T
Citation
Jg. Bramness et al., Fatal overdose of zopiclone in an elderly woman with bronchogenic carcinoma, J FOREN SCI, 46(5), 2001, pp. 1247-1249
Citations number
14
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES
ISSN journal
00221198 → ACNP
Volume
46
Issue
5
Year of publication
2001
Pages
1247 - 1249
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-1198(200109)46:5<1247:FOOZIA>2.0.ZU;2-A
Abstract
The death of a 72-year-old woman with respiratory debilitation due to bronc hogenic carcinoma is described. She overdosed herself with probably 200 to 350 mg of zopiclone. Zopiclone, quantitated by HPLC in femoral postmortem b lood, was found to be 1.9 mg/L (4.8 mu mol/L). This level is higher than ma ny other zopiclone fatalities reported. We report a case where only zopiclo ne was detected.