Postmortem tissue distribution of atomoxetine following fatal and nonfatal doses - three case reports

Atomoxetine (Strattera((R)), Lilly) is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) prescribed for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents, and adults. It is the first nonstimulant drug-therapy option for ADHD. Three case reports are presented in which atomoxetine was detected in two individuals who died from causes unrelated to the drug and a third from the intentional ingestion of atomoxetine and other drugs. In addition, a brief description of the pharmacokinetics and side effects of atomoxetine are given. Postmortem fluid and tissue concentrations of atomoxetine were as follows: aortic blood, < 0.1-8.3 mg/L; femoral blood, 0.33-5.4 mg/L; vitreous humor, 0.1-0.96 mg/L; bile, 1.0-33 g/L; urine, < 0.1 mg/L; liver, < 0.44-29 mg/kg; and gastric contents, 0.0097-16.8 mg total. Autopsy findings in the two cases in which death was not attributed to drug toxicity included arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The analytical method utilized was a modified basic drug, liquid-liquid procedure followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and nitrogen phosphorous detection. Atomoxetine can be considered nontoxic at whole blood and liver concentrations below 1.3 mg/L and 5 mg/kg, respectively.