Citation

Alpe-Scott MD, Lindsay D. J. Can. Soc. Forensic Sci. 1992; 25(2): 91-96.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Canadian Society of Forensic Science, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00085030.1992.10757004

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Cimetidine, an histamine H2-receptor antagonist, used primarily in the treatment of various gastric disorders, has only been documented twice as the toxic agent in instances of fatal overdosage. A case is presented involving the suicidal death of a middle-aged woman. Routine toxicological analysis revealed therapeutic blood concentrations of diazepam, nordiazepam and Phenytoin with a large peak at carbon number 1930 unidentified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Cimetidine was confirmed by high performance liquid chromatrography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis. Isocratic ion-pairing reversed phase HPLC was used to quantify Cimetidine and the following results obtained: blood (780 μg/mL), urine (19000/μg/mL), liver (20000 μg/g) and gastric contents (9.5 g of Cimetidine in 170 g).