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A new series of 13 buprenorphine-related deaths
- Source :
-
Clinical Biochemistry . Oct2002, Vol. 35 Issue 7, p513. 4p. - Publication Year :
- 2002
-
Abstract
- <B>Objectives:</B> Buprenorphine at high dosage became available in France in 1996, as a substitution treatment for heroin addicts. Since this date, numerous deaths were attributed to this drug. This paper reports a new series of 13 fatalities involving buprenorphine observed at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Strasbourg, between August 2000 to October 2001.<B>Design and methods:</B> During the mentioned period, about 800 forensic cases were screened at the laboratory. Buprenorphine and its primary metabolite norbuprenophine were assayed in postmortem specimens by HPLC/MS. From these 13 subjects, 11 were male. Blood levels ranged from 0.3 to 7.7 ng/mL (mean 3.5 ng/mL) and 0.3 to 16.2 ng/mL (mean 2.9 ng/mL) for buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine, respectively. The mean values appear to be within the therapeutic range.<B>Conclusions:</B> IV injection of crushed tablets, a concomitant intake of psychotropics (especially benzodiazepines and neuroleptics) and the high dosage of the buprenorphine formulation available in France appear as the major risk factors for such fatalities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Subjects :
- *BUPRENORPHINE
*POISONING
*HEROIN abuse
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00099120
- Volume :
- 35
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 8669106
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/S0009-9120(02)00304-1