A person may commit suicide by breathing a number of gases which result in oxygen depletion and asphyxia.
Features:
(1) The person intentionally breathes an atmosphere with no or little oxygen.
(2) The death is due to asphyxia and not due to a toxic effect of the gas.
Atmospheres that may be oxygen depleted:
(1) nitrous oxide
(2) carbon dioxide
(3) helium
(4) nitrogen
(5) argon
The diagnosis of suicide would depend on:
(1) presence of a suicide note or record of purchases
(2) physical evidence at the site
(3) exclusion of alternative explanations
Post-mortem analysis might detect some gases like helium. Gas samples can be collected from the lungs directly into headspace vials during the autopsy. These samples can be analyzed using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC.MS). A negative result does not exclude the diagnosis if conditions are not ideal.
Differential diagnosis:
(1) accidental death including confined space accident
(2) homicide
(3) sudden death from other cause
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