Five cases of fatal overdose from caffeine-containing "look-alike" drugs

J Anal Toxicol. 1985 May-Jun;9(3):141-3. doi: 10.1093/jat/9.3.141.

Abstract

Five cases of death from ingestion of "look-alike" dose forms are reported. "Look-alikes" are widely used non-prescription drugs sold as appetite suppressants or stimulants. Three of the cases had taken caffeine/ephedrine combinations, and two had taken caffeine only. All had lethal concentrations of caffeine detected in the blood (130 to 344 mg/L), and three had high ephedrine concentrations from 3.5 to 20.5 mg/L. Caffeine and ephedrine were measured in body fluids and tissues (when available) by SIM gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) after extraction with diethyl ether.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Caffeine / blood
  • Caffeine / poisoning*
  • Ephedrine / blood
  • Female
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nonprescription Drugs*
  • Phenylpropanolamine / blood
  • Substance-Related Disorders

Substances

  • Nonprescription Drugs
  • Phenylpropanolamine
  • Caffeine
  • Ephedrine