Myocardium and striated muscle damage caused by licit or illicit drugs

Abstract

Illicit and central nervous system active licit drug consumption related deaths are mainly the consequences of either unintentional or intentional overdose. According to the data in the relevant literature occurrences of different organ damages are also observable and this can play a role in death, as well. Organ damages may appear simultaneously with overdosing or can be extended in time, which may lead to proving the cause of death and establishing the relationships with previous medication difficult. The most frequent damage observed is rhabdomyolysis syndrome, which has been mainly described after cocaine or opium consumption. Authors present four cases from the autopsy documentation of the period between 2003 and 2008 at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Szeged, Hungary in which illicit drug consumption or neuroleptic licit drug medication resulted in development of myocardium and striated muscle damage. The dominant clinical symptoms were hyperthermia, renal and circulatory failure. The laboratory tests showed renal and liver insufficiency; in addition the CK and CK-MB level increase suggested damage in striated muscles. The focal myocardium and striated muscle damage could be assessed as the cause of death in one case, but microscopic investigation proved the presence of damage in each.