Propoxyphene-associated deaths: methods, post-mortem levels in blood and liver.

Gas chromatographic methodology for the determination of d-propoxyphene in blood and liver samples is given. The method results in a clean extract and sharp response peaks. Quantitation is based on peak height ratios of propoxyphene and pyrroliphene. Post-mortem levels in blood range from 0.1-0.7 mg/dl; in liver from 1.1-18.9 mg/100 gm. The highest blood level has the lowest blood-liver ratio, the rest being widely variable. The incidence of propoxyphene in accidental and suicidal deaths appears to be increasing steadily.