Gas-chromatographic identification of drugs in gastric aspirate samples: a rapid screening procedure for emergency toxicology.

Gastric aspirate has not been used frequently in the identification of ingested drugs. Because there is only qualitative significance in such a sample, a new method is described that facilitates identification. A 1-ml gastric aspirate sample is extracted with 100 mul of chloroform and analyzed directly by gas chromatography. Seventeen drugs commonly involved in overdose cases are included in this 25-min procedure. The gastric drug screen has been applied to more than 500 patients, and results are described.