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Case Reports
. 2004 Jan 6;139(1):71-3.
doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2003.09.019.

Caffeine fatalities--four case reports

Per Holmgren  1 , Lotta Nordén-Pettersson, Johan Ahlner
Affiliations
Case Reports

Caffeine fatalities--four case reports

Per Holmgren et al. Forensic Sci Int. .

Abstract

Four cases of fatal intoxications with caffeine are described. Caffeine is widely available in beverages and in different OTC-products, in many of them in combinations with other drugs like ephedrine. Caffeine is not as harmless as one might believe. An overdose of caffeine alone, intentional or not, might be deadly. It seems to be warranted to include caffeine in the drug-screening of forensic autopsy cases. It is not motivated from a medical point of view to sell pure caffeine over the counter.

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