@article{ref1,
title="Comparative toxicology of fatal heroin overdose cases and morphine positive homicide victims",
journal="Addiction",
year="2007",
author="Darke, S. and Duflou, J. and Kaye, S.",
volume="102",
number="11",
pages="1793-1797",
abstract="Aims To compare the blood toxicology of heroin overdose cases and morphine positive homicide victims. Design Analysis of coronial cases. Setting Sydney, Australia. Cases A total of 705 cases of death due to opioid toxicity and 28 morphine positive homicide cases (1 January 1998-31 December 2002). Findings There was no significant difference between the median morphine concentrations of the overdose and homicide groups (0.50 versus 0.45 mg/l). The overdose group was more likely to have blood alcohol (OR 3.21) present, but less likely to have methadone (OR 0.26) and cannabis (OR 0.04). There was a significant negative correlation between blood morphine and alcohol concentrations among the overdose group (rho = -0.32), but not among the homicide group (rho = -0.03). Independent predictors of a higher blood morphine concentration were a lower alcohol concentration and a higher methadone concentration. Conclusions Morphine concentrations per se are not diagnostic of overdose. The study confirms the salience of concomitant alcohol consumption in such events.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0965-2140",
doi="10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.01980.x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.01980.x"
}