Citation

Cantrell FL, Nelson CL, Gary RD, McIntyre IM. J. Anal. Toxicol. 2012; 36(9): 657-659.

Affiliation

California Poison Control System, San Diego Division and Clinical Pharmacy, University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy, 200 W. Arbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92103.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Preston Publications)

DOI

10.1093/jat/bks076

PMID

22995481

Abstract

Metformin (Glucophage) is a medication used to treat Type 2 diabetes. The highest postmortem metformin concentrations are recorded utilizing a sensitive and specific analytical procedure. The peripheral blood metformin concentration was 240 mg/L, the liver concentration was 240 mg/kg and the gastric concentration was 1,700 mg. Additionally, an antemortem blood sample collected shortly after admission revealed a metformin concentration of 210 mg/L. These data, revealing a liver to peripheral blood ratio of 1.0, provide additional support that metformin is not subject to postmortem redistribution. Intentional self-poisonings with metformin can result in death, despite multiple medical interventions.

Language: en