Insulin in post-mortem blood.

In 29 cases of sudden death the insulin concentration in blood from the right heart and the femoral vein was determined by a radioimmunological method. The concentrations in the femoral venous blood were below 60 muU/ml serum (mean 23 muU/ml), i.e. in the same order of magnitude as in living persons. In right heart blood the insulin values were about 10 times higher, probably due to post-mortal diffusion of insulin via the portal vein. In suspected hyperinsulinism the measurements should therefore be made on peripheral venous blood.