Interpretation of postmortem toxicology: more complicated than it might seem – Part 2

All the available evidence must be taken into account when investigating a death if poisoning is suspected. An overall knowledge of the circumstances, time course, clinical/postmortem observations, poisons thought to be involved and their toxicology and metabolism, is important, as well as knowledge of the samples available for analysis and the analytical methods used. Part 1 of this review discussed operational considerations in postmortem toxicology, including the importance of proper sample collection. Some further problems and pitfalls in the interpretation of quantitative data, especially as regards the possibility of postmortem increases in blood concentrations (postmortem redistribution), are outlined in this second part. Despite the problems listed above, toxicological analysis of specimens obtained postmortem can often provide evidence of exposure and sometimes also an estimate of the magnitude of exposure, provided always that interpretation of the analytical results is undertaken with due caution.