Postmortem Blood Concentrations of Parent Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA) Drugs in 11 Cases of Suicide

Blood levels of parent tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) drugs in 11 cases of suicide are reviewed. Values ranged from 0.11 mg% to 2.4 mg% which is consistent with recent literature. The data suggests that, in cases where TCA tissue levels of parent TCA tissue levels or metabolite concentrations were not determined, blood levels of parent TCA drugs exceeding 0.1 mg% may be confidently regarded as the cause of death when no other cause is present. 6 refs. (LH)