NCJ Number
146653
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 39 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1994) Pages: 159-164
Date Published
1994
Length
6 pages
Annotation
In 1992, Maryland's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner encountered 30 cases where fentanyl, a synthetic narcotic analgesic 50 to 100 times as potent as morphine, was identified in postmortem specimens.
Abstract
Of the 30 cases, 25 decedents were found in Baltimore City and five were found in surrounding counties; four were female and eight were white. A radioimmunoassay kit was used to screen urine specimens for fentanyl. All decedents were initially tested comprehensively for alcohol and drugs. The initial evaluation of fentanyl occurred from the basic drug screen which identified such commonly encountered drugs as antidepressants, antihistamines, benzodiazepines, narcotic analgesics and phenothiazines, phencyclidine, quinine, and sympathomimetic amines. Blood fentanyl concentrations ranged from 2.2 to 100 micrograms/L. Ethanol and other abused drugs were detected in 28 of the 30 cases. All 30 deaths in the study were attributed to alcohol and drug intoxication. The most common drugs found, in addition to fentanyl, were morphine/codeine (22 cases), cocaine (17 cases), and ethanol (10 cases). Fentanyl was not detected as an incidental finding in any death due to other causes. 14 references and 1 table