Citation

Romain N, Giroud C, Michaud K, Augsburger M, Mangin P. Forensic Sci. Int. 1999; 106(2): 115-123.

Affiliation

Institut Universitaire de Médecine Légale de Lausanne, Switzerland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10664898

Abstract

A fatal case attributed to flecainide acetate (Tambocor), a class Ic antiarrythmic drug, is presented. Flecainide was detected by GC/MS in gastric contents, blood and liver as well. The urine analysis revealed the presence of its dealkylated metabolite. Body fluids and tissue concentrations determined by GC/ECD were 7.7 mg/kg in femoral blood, 0.26 mg/kg in bile, 18 mg/kg in liver, 0.17 mg/kg in cerebrospinal fluid, 0.22 mg/kg in brain cortex and 28.9 mg/kg in urine. The total amount of flecainide in gastric contents was about 43 mg. Even taking into account the postmortem redistribution of flecainide, its blood level still remains in the toxic range.

Language: en