Moffat, A.C., Osselton, M.D. and Widdop, B. (2004) Clarke’s Analysis of Drugs and Poisons in Pharmaceuticals, Body Fluids and Postmortem Material. 3rd Edition, Pharmaceutical Press, Lorazepam, London, 1187-1188.

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: An Intentional Poisoning by Lormetazepam in a Patient Treated with Nordiazepam

  AUTHORS: Phak-Rop Pos Pok, Emilie Berland, Michel Mauras, Magali Valès, Erika Kuhlmann

  KEYWORDS: Benzodiazepines, Discrimination between Poison and Medication, LC-MS/MS

  JOURNAL NAME: Forensic Medicine and Anatomy Research, Vol.2 No.4, October 30, 2014

  ABSTRACT: A case of suspected poisoning by benzodiazepines is presented in this paper. Toxicological analyses were applied on the blood collected 48 hours after the facts. GC-MS and HPLC-DAD have detected only nordiazepam which was prescribed in the treatment. Therefore, LC-MS/MS has detected lormetazepam and lorazepam (major metabolite of lormetazepam) in addition of nordiazepam. The concentrations of lormetazepam, lorazepam and nordiazepam measured in blood were 6.8, 6.3, and 16.2 ng/mL, respectively. The initial concentration of each drug at the relevant time, has been calculated from these residual concentrations, using an extrapolation approach. According to estimates, only lormetazepam (189 ng/mL) and lorazepam (68 ng/mL), were active at the target moment. A poisoning by lormetazepam was then considered. The more technology we have, the greater chance we have to get an outcome that is favorable to justice.