Citation

Tormey WP. J. Palliat. Care 2017; 32(1): 40-42.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Center for Bioethics)

DOI

10.1177/0825859717705929

PMID

28662625

Abstract

A 47-year-old woman who was receiving palliative care for metastatic breast cancer, which included oxycodone, was found dead in bed. The femoral blood level of oxycodone at autopsy was 1200 µg/L, which is a value within the lethal range. Could the cause of death be attributed to misadventure or suicide? Would the coroner consider a recommendation of therapeutic drug monitoring in palliative care which could have a serious negative impact on pain relief practice? A narrative verdict was the outcome linking the primary cause of death with the drug cocktail found at autopsy.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Female; Middle Aged; Cause of Death; Suicide; Poisoning; Fatal Outcome; Coroners and Medical Examiners; palliative care; Analgesics, Opioid; Palliative Care; coroner; oxycodone; Oxycodone; Breast Neoplasms; Cancer Pain