Citation

Taylor RL, Crooks CR, Caplan YH. J. Anal. Toxicol. 1982; 6(6): 309-311.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1982, Preston Publications)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7162142

Abstract

Amoxapine, a recently introduced dibenzoxazepine, has been found effective in clinical studies for the treatment of various types of depression. Two amoxapine related deaths, a 53-year-old white male and a 21-year-old white female, have been investigated by this office. Both had been prescribed amoxapine for depression. Quantitation of amoxapine was by gas chromatography using a 3% OV-17 column with confirmation by ultraviolet spectrophotometry and thin layer chromatography. Blood amoxapine concentrations were found to be 18 mg/L in the first subject, and 6.7 mg/L in the second subject. These concentrations are many-fold higher than the therapeutic serum concentrations of up to 0.21 mg/L reported in a clinical study. These cases illustrate the potential lethality of amoxapine overdosage and the need for caution in prescribing amoxapine to patients with suicidal tendencies.

Language: en