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Post-mortem phenomena to estimate the time of death. The post-mortem interval ( PMI ) is the time that has elapsed since an individual's death . [ 1 ] When the time of death is not known, the interval may be estimated, and so an approximate time of death established.
The ratio of potassium to sodium decreases linearly with time. The reason that the potassium levels rise after death is because of a leak in the cell membrane that allows the concentration to reach equilibrium with the potassium levels in the blood plasma. This method is not exact, but a good estimate for the time since death can be obtained. [2]
As such, hair testing results are legally and scientifically recognized as admissible evidence. [33] Hair testing is commonly used in the USA as pre-employment drug test. The detection time for this test is roughly 3 months, which is the time, that takes head hair to grow ca. 1.5 inches, that are collected as a specimen.
According to the national association, it’s estimated the country has just 750 full-time, board-certified forensic pathologists. Some estimates say the U.S. needs 1,200 to 1,500 to meet the demand.
Forensic toxicology is a multidisciplinary field that combines the principles of toxicology with expertise in disciplines such as analytical chemistry, pharmacology and clinical chemistry to aid medical or legal investigation of death, poisoning, and drug use. [1]
Toxicology testing, also known as safety assessment, or toxicity testing, is the process of determining the degree to which a substance of interest negatively impacts the normal biological functions of an organism, given a certain exposure duration, route of exposure, and substance concentration.
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a branch of clinical chemistry and clinical pharmacology that specializes in the measurement of medication levels in blood.Its main focus is on drugs with a narrow therapeutic range, i.e. drugs that can easily be under- or overdosed. [1]
The final toxicology report states the fentanyl detected in Heche's urine was administered in the hospital. The medical examiner determined Heche died of inhalation and thermal injuries.