Gastric Mucosal Petechial Hemorrhages (Wischnewsky Lesions), Hypothermia, and Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

For more than 100 years since their initial description, gastric mucosal petechial hemorrhages have been discovered at autopsy in cases where environmental hypothermia was determined to be the cause of death. Although these lesions are frequently seen in deaths caused by environmental hypothermia, they can also be seen in cases where hypothermia is not implicated; however, this has been seldom described. We present a series of autopsy cases where hypothermia has been conclusively ruled out as a cause of death, in which Wischnewsky lesions are found.

Loperamide Abuse Associated With Cardiac Dysrhythmia and Death.

Loperamide is an over-the-counter antidiarrheal with μ-opioid agonist activity. Central nervous system opioid effects are not observed after therapeutic oral dosing because of poor bioavailability and minimal central nervous system penetration. However, central nervous system opioid effects do occur after supratherapeutic oral doses.

Psychostimulant abuse and neuroinflammation: emerging evidence of their interconnection.

During the past two decades, there has been a tremendous expansion of knowledge regarding the neurobiological effects of substance abuse and how these effects impact behavior. At the same time, there has been a profound change in our understanding of the way in which the central nervous system responds to noxious stimuli. Most often referred to as the innate immune response (IIR), this defense mechanism is activated by a number of agents (toxic, microbial, ischemic) and has been implicated in the progression of a number of neurodegenerative diseases.