The Investigation of Phenobarbitone, Phenytoin and Primidone in the Death of Epileptics

Abstract

A survey of the levels (and the corresponding dose rates) of phenobarbitone (1.6 mg/100 ml), phenytoin (0.68 mg/100 ml) and primidone (1.1 mg/100 ml) in the blood of epileptic patients is described. These levels are compared with the concentrations found in the post-mortem samples from people, both normal and epileptic, whose deaths involved these drugs. The results show that the death of an epileptic being treated with the above drugs should be investigated carefully before ascribing it to drug overdosage.