Fatal metoprolol overdose

Abstract

Metoprolol, a beta 1-adrenergic blocking agent, has been found effective in the treatment of hypertension. A death due to deliberate ingestion of metoprolol is described, including the case history, postmortem toxicologic findings, and identification and quantitation of the drug by high pressure liquid chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Metoprolol levels were found to be 4.7 mg/L in blood, 194 mg/L in urine, 3.3 mg/L in vitreous humor, 3.9 mg/L in pleural fluid, 254 mg/L in bile, 7.1 mg/kg in kidney, and 6.3 mg/kg in liver.