Toxicology Findings – 49 Yr Old Male – Cause of Death: Stated as Natural – Cause Listed in First Line?
Question by Mimi Baxter: Toxicology Findings – 49 yr old male – Cause of death: Stated as Natural – Cause listed in first line?
Citalopram Toxicity Associated w/ Hypertensive Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease – The following results are listed under specimen Blood Heart: Ethanol Then listed under Urine: Nordiazepam Positive Bupropion Positive Methadone Positive Methadone Metabolite Positive Citalopram Positive Oxycodone Positive Diltiazem Positive More listed under Blood Heart Bupropion Negative methadone 0.1 mg/L citalopram 2.1 mg/L oxycodone 0.1 mg/L diltiazem 0.7 mg/L nordiazepam 0.3 mg/L Listed under Blood Peripheral methadone 0.1 mg/L oxycodone 0.1 mg/L Citalopram 1.2 mg/L
I am having trouble understanding the results. I think it is saying that it is a combination of overdose of his antidepressant and heart failure. Any simple terms in explaining these results would be appreciated. I just don’t get reading the amounts of certain drugs and the results saying natural.
Best answer:
Answer by Ziggi
Why don’t you call the ME’s office and ask them to explain this stuff to you? It looks like he had a number of different drugs in his system and combining some of these drugs can be fatal. It does look like the cause of death was determined to be Citalopram overdose and heart disease. I have read that certain antidepressants in combination with other drugs, including oxycodone, can cause Seratonin Syndrome (aka Seratonin Toxicity) which can be fatal and Seratonin Syndrome does effect the heart.
Death from things like heart disease and overdoses are considered to be of “natural causes”. The different categories of manner of death that the ME has to choose in between are: Accident, Suicide, Homicide, Natural causes, or undetermined. This is a natural death.
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