An Update on Deaths in the United Kingdom from 'Poppers' (Alkyl Nitrites), with a Particular Focus on 'Swallowing' Fatalities.

Alkyl nitrites are a class of inhalant, commonly known as 'poppers'. Although having medical uses, some other effects include a 'rush', 'high', 'euphoria', or feeling of excitement. This has led to their recreational use, in different scenarios, since the mid-1960s.

Broad evidence of xylazine in the UK illicit drug market beyond heroin supplies: Triangulating from toxicology, drug-testing and law enforcement.

Background And Aims: Xylazine is a non-opioid sedative which has spread rapidly throughout the US illicit drug supply. This study aimed to describe the spread of xylazine throughout the UK illicit drug supply.

Methods: Xylazine detections in human biological samples were collated from toxicology laboratories operating in the United Kingdom with the date, location, case type, xylazine concentration and co-detected drugs (with quantifications where performed) detailed, where permitted, by the corresponding coroner.

Characteristics of deaths associated with kratom use.

Background: Kratom ( Korth) use has increased in Western countries, with a rising number of associated deaths. There is growing debate about the involvement of kratom in these events.

Aims: This study details the characteristics of such fatalities and provides a 'state-of-the-art' review.

What's being used to spike your drink? Alleged spiked drink cases in inner city London.

Objectives: To determine the incidence and character of drink spiking in an urban population of patients within the UK presenting to an emergency department concerned they had consumed a deliberately contaminated drink.

Study Design: Prospective case series determining the presence and quantity of sedative and illicit drugs, and ethanol in biological samples (blood and urine) obtained from consenting patients >18 years of age presenting to a large inner city London emergency department alleging they had consumed a spiked drink within the previous 12 h.

Results: Biological samples were obtained from 67 (blood) and 75 (urine) of 78 study participants.

Fatality after deliberate ingestion of sustained-release ibuprofen: a case report.

Introduction: Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug available over the counter and on prescription for the management of pain and inflammation. Severe toxicity is rare following deliberate self-poisoning with ibuprofen, and patients are usually either asymptomatic or develop only mild gastrointestinal toxicity. Although there have been nine other reported fatalities, co-existent factors have probably contributed to all of these deaths.

Fatality after deliberate ingestion of the pesticide rotenone: a case report.

Rotenone is a pesticide derived from the roots of plants from the Leguminosae family. Poisoning following deliberate ingestion of these plant roots has commonly been reported in Papua New Guinea. However, poisoning with commercially available rotenone in humans has been reported only once previously following accidental ingestion in a 3.

A pharmacokinetic study of piroxicam in children.

Feldene Melt (piroxicam) is commonly used for analgesia following day case surgery. The manufacturer's recommended paediatric dose is 0.4 mg.

Detection and identification of volatile substances by headspace capillary gas chromatography to aid the diagnosis of acute poisoning.

Headspace gas chromatography with split flame-ionization-electron-capture detection is a simple method of screening for a wide range of volatile substances in biological fluids. A 60 m x 0.53 mm i.

Rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic methods for the determination of overdose concentrations of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in plasma or serum.

Separate methods are described for the determination of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs diflunisal, indomethacin, fenoprofen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, mefenamic acid and piroxicam at overdose concentrations in human plasma or serum, using high-performance liquid chromatography and ultraviolet detection. A common extraction, involving protein precipitation with acetonitrile, is employed for all methods. A 25 cm Hypersil ODS (5 mu particle size) analytical column is used for all chromatographic separations, with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-acetate buffer (pH 4.

The relationship between plasma ibuprofen concentrations and toxicity in acute ibuprofen overdose.

1. The information available from the literature and from a prospective survey of ibuprofen overdose being undertaken by the London centre of the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) was examined utilizing the Generalized Linear Interactive Modelling (GLIM) statistical computing package. 2.

Ibuprofen overdose: the first two years of over-the-counter sales.

Experience during 14 years of prescription only use indicates that the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ibuprofen is of low toxicity in acute overdose. In August 1983 ibuprofen was licensed for over-the-counter (OTC) use in the UK and it was recognised that this change could have an impact upon the epidemiology of analgesic overdose in this country. The London centre of the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) began a new prospective survey of ibuprofen overdose at the time of OTC release.

The effect of diflunisal administration on platelet aggregation and cerebral blood flow.

The effect of a high dose of diflunisal (750 mg twice daily) on platelet aggregation and cerebral blood flow was investigated in 8 healthy volunteers. Diflunisal inhibited platelet aggregation consistently; this effect on platelets was reversed within 24 hours after the last dose of diflunisal. There was, however, no correlation between the anti-aggregatory effect of diflunisal and its plasma concentration.

Acute poisoning with ibuprofen.

1 Seventy five cases of ibuprofen overdose were recorded during a two year survey. 2 Details of the symptoms, treatment and the eventual outcome are known for 64% of the cases. The majority of the patients had no symptoms or only mild symptoms such as nausea or vomiting.