Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J C Garriott

Publications and source records attributed to J C Garriott.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Drug detection at autopsy: a prospective study of 247 cases.

Comprehensive toxicology analyses using gas chromatography of blood for alcohol and acidic, basic, and neutral drugs were performed on 247 randomly selected medical examiner cases. Drugs or alcohol or both were found in 54% of this group. When considered by manner of death (natural, accident, homicide, and suicide), each of the groups had incidences of positive findings of 46 to 63%. Selection of cases for toxicologic study on the basis of manner of death does not seem to be feasible. It is the authors' opinion that comprehensive toxicology evaluation for drugs should be done on virtually all medical examiner cases. This approach ensures a thorough and complete evaluation in all cases. In addition, a comprehensive toxicology study will provide information in the event that questions concerning the absence or presence of drugs arise at some later date.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗
PubMed1982

Death by poisoning: a ten-year survey of Dallas County.

From 1971 through 1980, 1115 deaths were ascribed by the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office to poisoning of some type. An analysis of these deaths, with emphasis on the substances involved, is the purpose of this study. Relatively few agents or groups of agents accounted for 87% of these deaths: carbon monoxide, barbiturates, propoxyphene, narcotics, tricyclic antidepressants, ethyl alcohol, and inhalants (gases and solvents). Twenty-five percent of the deaths were classified as mixed intoxications, resulting from combinations of agents. Two major trends were observed: in the second five-year period, barbiturate-induced deaths decreased considerably (58%) and deaths from tricyclic antidepressants increased more than four times as compared with the first five-year period. Yearly statistics have been compiled for deaths from each agent.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗
PubMed1981

Measurement of toluene in blood and breath in cases of solvent abuse.

A method was developed for measurement of toluene in blood and breath samples, using Tenax GC columns and a Bendix Flasher (Bendix Corp.) coupled to a flame ionization gas chromatograph. Blood samples were collected from six habitual toluene abusers during a 2-h abstinence period. Blood concentrations were found to range from 9.8 to 31.2 mg/L in samples taken shortly after inhaling. Blood half-lives of toluene were found to be much shorter in the first hour after inhalation (53.5 and 49.3 min) than in the second hour (79.3 and 111.2 min). In one of the subjects, blood:breath ratios were determined and averaged 18.2.

Breath Tests↗
PubMed1981

Pharmacokinetics of amantadine hydrochloride in subjects with normal and impaired renal function.

Amantadine is useful for the prevention and treatment of influenza A and for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and drug-induced extrapyramidal disorders. We have compared the pharmacokinetics of amantadine in patients with impaired or negligible renal function to that in normal subjects. The half-life of elimination in subjects with normal renal function was 11.8 +/- 2.1 hours (range, 9.7 to 14.5 h). Eight patients with various degrees of renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance from 43.1 to 5.9 mL/min . 1.73 m2) had half-lives of elimination from 18.5 h to 33.8 days. We also studied 10 patients on thrice-weekly hemodialysis. Assuming complete bioavailability of the drug, less than 5% of the dose was removed by each 4-hour hemodialysis. The mean half-life of elimination during chronic hemodialysis was 8.3 days (range, 7.0 to 10.3). We present guidelines for use of amantadine in patients with impaired renal function, including those on maintenance hemodialysis.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Propoxyphene in postmortem toxicology 1976-1978.

A total of 1859 cases provides the basis for this study in which propoxyphene, and often its major metabolite, was demonstrated by toxicological analysis in the blood or tissues of the deceased at 27 medical examiner or coroner's offices across the United States and Canada. The study period includes the last five months of 1975 through December 1978. The cases describe a clearly defined adult population with a marked tendency toward hypochondria, chronic minor illness, and severe psychiatric problems. The high proportion of suicides (44.1% of the total cases and 54.0% of the drug-caused deaths) and multiple-drug toxicities (88.6%) suggests that the involvement of propoxyphene in many of these fatalities may be of less significance than the phenomenon of "polypharmacy" and self-medication without appropriate medical supervision. This evaluation of propoxyphene provides no evidence that propoxyphene is responsible for "street-drug" fatalities. Its appearance in postmortem toxicological examinations has been declining sharply since 1977, but it continues to be dangerous when used excessively, particularly in combination with alcohol and other central nervous system depressant drugs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Cyanide concentrations in blood after amygdalin (laetrile) administration in rats.

Toxic amounts of cyanide are released into the blood of rats following the oral administration of amygdalin (laetrile); cyanide blood concentrations and toxicity are markedly less when amygdalin is given intravenously. Analysis of the time course of cyanogenesis suggests that cyanide could accumulate in blood after repeated oral doses of amygdalin.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1980

Suicide by snake venom injection.

A case of apparent suicide by injection of snake venom was investigated. Evidence found at the scene and presumably used for self-injection was positive for nonspecific venom but had the characteristics of a viper venom.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Intravenous prophylhexedrine (Benzedrex®) abuse and sudden death.

Propylhexedrine was implicated in 15 deaths investigated by the Dallas County Medical Examiner since 1973. Twelve of the deaths were attributable to intravenous abuse of the contents of the Benzedrex® inhaler. Each death could be defined as sudden. Pulmonary edema, foreign body granulomas, fibrosis and evidence of pulmonary hypertension were frequent postmortem findings. Right ventricular hypertrophy was present in nine of the 12 subjects who died of intravenous propylhexedrine abuse. Two homicides and one suicide were propylhexedrine-related. Intravenous propylhexedrine abuse should be considered in the differential diagnosis of right ventricular hypertrophy and/or pulmonary hypertension, and it should be suspected in cases of sudden death involving young adults displaying evidence of intravenous drug abuse.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Intravenous abuse of propylhexedrine.

Propylhexedrine, a local vasoconstrictor, is the active ingredient in the Benzedrex nasal inhaler. In a six-month period, the Office of the Medical Examiner of Dallas County has encountered three deaths resulting from intravenous injection of propylhexedrine. Two of these individuals showed vascular changes in the lungs, apparently from chronic intravenous injections of this drug. Body distribution of the drug was determined in all of the cases by gas chromatographic analysis. An experiment was conducted to determine "therapeutic blood concentrations" in which a normal subject inhaled propylhexedrine from the Benzedrex inhaler. The maximum blood concentration was only 1/30 of the minimum concentration encountered in the reported cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Incidence of drugs and alcohol in fatally injured motor vehicle drivers.

All motor vehicle accident fatalities occuring in Dallas County during a 1 1/2-year period were studied to determine drug usage at the time of death. Blood samples obtained at autopsy or at the time of hospital admission were analyzed for the presence of drugs and alcohol. Of the drivers, 70% were positive for alcohol or drugs. Ethyl alcohol alone was detected in 52%, drugs in 9%, and both drugs and alcohol in another 9%. Seventy-six percent of the drivers determined to be at fault in their respective accidents had alcohol or drugs detected compared to 41% for not-at-fault drivers. The minor tranquilizer diazepam accounted for over half of all positive drug findings, while barbiturates, antihistamines, methaqualone, propoxyphene, and pentazocine were each detected in more than one instance.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1977

Cocaine-related death.

Cocaine use and abuse, an ancient custom, is once again commonplace. While severe toxicity appears to be rare, overt poisoning including death can occur. This report documents nine cases of death associated with cocaine use; in three of these cocaine appears to be causative. Toxicologic analysis of body fluids and tissues was affirmative and levels are reported. Cocaine should be considered in serious drug overdose-reactions, especially after illicit injection.

Adolescent↗