Diltiazem and Pentoxifylline Determination in Postmortem Specimens

A 78-year-old woman was found dead in her basement. Qualitative screening of available postmortem specimens detected the presence of diltiazem and pentoxifylline. Quantitations were carried out by gas chromatography using nitrogen-phosphorus detection and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass pectrometry with the following results: blood, 0.59 mg/dL diltiazem and 0.63 mg/dL pentoxifylline; urine, 1.17 mg/dt diltiazem and 0.08 mg/dL pentoxifylline; bile, 0.40 mg/dl, diltiazem and 0.22 mg/dt pentoxifylline; gastric contents, 0.28 mg/dL diltiazem and 0.02 mg/dL pentoxifylline. Both drugs were found qualitatively in formalin-fixed tissues. clown on the basement floor, 10 ft from the bottom of the stair-well in her home, by her son. Blood was pooled under her face. She had a history of hypertensive h art disease. Partially filled Cardizem (180 rag), Lanoxin | (125rag), and Trental (400 rag) prescription containers for the decedent were obtained at the house and accompanied the body. The quantities of missing pills suggested that she had been following the prescribed dosage schedule. An autopsy showed rib fractures and contu-sions of the head, trunk, and extremities that were probably due to an apparent fall. She also had chronic liver disease charac-terized by portal tract fibrosis and fatty degeneration