<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Fentanyl is a potent, short-acting narcotic analgesic widely used as surgical anaesthetic. This article presents a case in which fentanyl was self-injected by a 41-year old nurse, an employee at the hospital emergency department, who was found dead at home. She had no known history of drug and alcohol abuse. Two syringes, one empty and one filled with a clear liquid, were found near the body, while a needle was stuck into her hand.Toxicological analysis showed fentanyl poisoning. Fentanyl overdose was declared the cause of death and the manner of death was classified as suicide.To our knowledge, death due to the intravenous injection of fentanyl has not previously been reported in Croatia.</abstract>

Fentanyl is a potent, short-acting narcotic analgesic widely used as surgical anaesthetic. This article presents a case in which fentanyl was self-injected by a 41-year old nurse, an employee at the hospital emergency department, who was found dead at home. She had no known history of drug and alcohol abuse. Two syringes, one empty and one filled with a clear liquid, were found near the body, while a needle was stuck into her hand.Toxicological analysis showed fentanyl poisoning. Fentanyl overdose was declared the cause of death and the manner of death was classified as suicide.To our knowledge, death due to the intravenous injection of fentanyl has not previously been reported in Croatia.

Suicide by Fentanyl

Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Split University Hospital and School of Medicine, Split, Croatia

Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology

{"article-title":"Suicide by Fentanyl"}

Fentanyl is a potent, short-acting narcotic analgesic widely used as surgical anaesthetic. This article presents a case in which fentanyl was self-injected by...

Suicide by Fentanyl

Published Online: Oct 03, 2007

Page range: 317 - 321

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10004-007-0023-5

Keywords
intravensko ubrizgavanje, smrt, toksikologija

This content is open access.

Suicide by Fentanyl

Published Online: Oct 03, 2007

Page range: 317 - 321

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10004-007-0023-5

Keywordsintravensko ubrizgavanje, smrt, toksikologija

This content is open access.

Keywords
intravensko ubrizgavanje, smrt, toksikologija