To Test or Not To Test?: The Value of Toxicology in a Delayed Overdose Death

• Published in: Journal of forensic sciences Vol. 64; no. 1; pp. 314 - 317
• Main Authors: Walsh, Erin E., Shoff, Elisa N., Elizabeth Zaney, Mary, Hime, George W., Garavan, Fintan, Boland, Diane M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.01.2019
• Subjects: Acute Kidney Injury - chemically induced; Adult; antemortem specimens; delayed death; Drug overdose; Drug Overdose - diagnosis; drug paraphernalia; forensic science; Forensic Toxicology; Humans; investigative forensic toxicology; Laboratories; Male; mitragynine; overdose; postmortem; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult - chemically induced; Street Drugs - analysis; Street Drugs - pharmacokinetics; Substance-Related Disorders - complications; Substance-Related Disorders - diagnosis; Time Factors; Tissue Distribution; Toxicology; U‐47700; overdose; drug paraphernalia; postmortem; investigative forensic toxicology; delayed death; forensic science; antemortem specimens; U-47700; mitragynine

A case demonstrating the necessity of thorough death investigation processes where toxicology plays an active role is presented. A 33‐year‐old white man presented to the emergency room in respiratory distress after an overdose episode where he was revived on the scene by fire rescue. His condition c...