Ketamine in non-hospital and hospital deaths in New York City
Gill, JR
City Medical Examiner, New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, and Director, Forensic Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Forensic Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY.

Stajić M
City Medical Examiner, New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, and Director, Forensic Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Forensic Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY.


Abstract
We reviewed all ketamine-positive deaths (87) examined at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner over a two-year period (1997 to 1999). There were 15 non-hospital deaths with 12 due to acute multidrug intoxications, one due to sarcoidosis, and two due to physical injury (blunt and thermal). In no instance was a fatal intoxication caused exclusively by ketamine. Opiates (10/15), followed by amphetamines (7/15) and cocaine (6/15), were the most frequent co-intoxicants. Ethanol was found in only one death. The race of all decedents was white and the majority were men (11/15) between the ages of 18 and 30 years. The remaining 72 instances of positive ketamine findings were hospital deaths following surgical procedures or burns.

Keywords:
fatality, forensic pathology, forensic science, forensic toxicology, illicit drug abuse, ketamine

Paper ID: JFS45323

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Author Gill JR, Stajić M Title Ketamine in non-hospital and hospital deaths in New York City Symposium , Committee on