Phencyclidine-Related Deaths: A Report of Nine Fatal Cases

Nitrogen-Phosphorous Detection of Phencyclidine in Blood Serum

“…The popularity of phencyclidine [1-(1-phenylcyclohexy1)piperidinel as a drug of abuse has stimulated interest in determination of the drug in body fluids (1,2). Persons who have ingested phencyclidine (I) often show signs of intoxication even when serum levels are low (10 ng/ml) (3).…”

Phencyclidine: A 5-Year Retrospective Review from the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office

“…In the accidental overdoses, the blood PCP concentration ranged from 8 to 1800 ng/mL, and in the suicide reported by Cravey et al. (18), it was 12,000 ng/mL. In our series, 52 deaths (38%) were because of combined drug intoxication including PCP.…”

“…The highest PCP concentration in our cohort was 581.4 ng ⁄ mL (a 23-year-old man who drowned in a pond). In published studies, the concentrations of incidental blood PCP detection in nondrug-related (mostly violent) deaths ranged from <20 to 11,000 ng ⁄ mL (10,11,(15)(16)(17)(18)(19). In a 1983 publication, Budd and Liu (19) found PCP in blood and other body fluids and tissues in 30 violent deaths and stated that ''in most of the cases PCP use led to bizarre and ⁄ or irrational behavior that resulted in death of the individual rather than PCP overdose proving directly fatal.''…”

“…In a 1983 publication, Budd and Liu (19) found PCP in blood and other body fluids and tissues in 30 violent deaths and stated that ''in most of the cases PCP use led to bizarre and ⁄ or irrational behavior that resulted in death of the individual rather than PCP overdose proving directly fatal.'' Several authors have reported on accidental (10,11,17,18,20) and suicidal (18) PCP fatal intoxications in combination with other substances. In the accidental overdoses, the blood PCP concentration ranged from 8 to 1800 ng ⁄ mL, and in the suicide reported by Cravey et al (18), it was 12,000 ng ⁄ mL.…”

Screening for Drugs of Abuse (II): Cannabinoids, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Buprenorphine, Methadone, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines and other Drugs

“…Phencyclidine, and a variety of its analogues which cause a similar effect, are popular street drugs in the USA. 379 382 An investigation of the use and abuse of phencyclidine by adolescents has been carried out by Schuckit and Morrissey.P" 26% of 355 subjects reported using propoxyphene, PCP, or the combination. Sporadic misuse of PCP has been reported in the UK,376 but most toxicology laboratories have never encountered PCP except in quality assessment samples.…”