Citation

Kinoshita H, Taniguchi T, Nishiguchi M, Ouchi H, Minami T, Utsumi T, Motomura H, Tsuda T, Ohta T, Aoki S, Komeda M, Kamamoto T, Kubota A, Fuke C, Arao T, Miyazaki T, Hishida S. Forensic Sci. Int. 2003; 133(1-2): 107-112.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/s0379-0738(03)00056-2

PMID

12742696

Abstract

We present here a fatal poisoning case involving verapamil, metoprolol and digoxin. A 39-year-old male was found dead in his room, and a lot of empty packets of prescribed drugs were found near the corpse. The blood concentrations of verapamil, metoprolol and digoxin were 9.2 microg/ml, 3.6 microg/ml and 3.2 ng/ml, respectively. The cause of death was given as cardiac failure, hypotension and bradycardia due to a mixed drug overdose of verapamil, metoprolol and digoxin, based on the results of the autopsy and toxicological examination. We speculate that the toxicity of verapamil is potentiated by drug interaction with metoprolol and digoxin.

Language: en

Keywords

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Adult; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Calcium Channel Blockers; Digoxin; Drug Interactions; Drug Overdose; Humans; Male; Metoprolol; Suicide; Verapamil