Reactions 1680, p138 - 2 Dec 2017
O S
Fentanyl overdose and abuse
Fatal intoxication: 4 case reports
In a study, 3 patients [ages and sexes not stated] and a female
patient [age not stated] developed fatal drug intoxications
following a fentanyl overdose. Out of four patients, two
patients had abused fentanyl [not all routes stated; dosages and
durations of treatments to reactions onsets not stated].
The patients died following fentanyl overdose which led to
intoxication. The post-mortem toxicological analysis was
performed for each patient. In one patient, several fentanyl
tablets were found in the buccal cavity, while in another female
patient the source of fentanyl intoxication was a diverted
fentanyl solution for hospital use, which she used to stole from
her hospital. The female patient was abusing fentanyl. One
patient had inhaled the heated fentanyl patch by placing it in a
glass container indicating abuse and in another patient fentanyl
patches were found on the skin.
Author comment: "Therefore, the purpose of this study
was to evaluate the dynamic of fatal fentanyl intoxications in
Southern Bavaria over the last ten years; to investigate the
pattern of fentanyl use; to determine how many persons use
fentanyl along with other potentially lethal substances; and to
determine the post-mortem concentrations of fentanyl in
decedents with mixed intoxications and intoxications with
fentanyl only."
Sinicina I, et al. Post-mortem review of fentanyl-related overdose deaths among
identified drug users in Southern Bavaria, Germany, 2005-2014. Drug and Alcohol
Dependence 180: 286-291, 1 Nov 2017. Available from: URL: http://
doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.08.021 - Germany
803285050
1
Reactions 2 Dec 2017 No. 16800114-9954/17/1680-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2017 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved