While Mrs. Katz's pacemaker will continue to deliver low-energy pulses at the time of her death, the heart muscle will stop responding. Mrs. Katz's decision to turn off her pacemaker at a time of her choice depends upon her own perception of how she wants to die. A cardioverter's presence raises other critical issues.
Vicodin can be detected in the urine for 3-4 days. A blood test can detect Vicodin for up to 6-48 hours. A saliva test can detect Vicodin for up to 3-4 days. Vicodin, like many other drugs, can be detected with a hair follicle drug test for up to 90 days. Vicodin contains hydrocodone, an opiate analgesic, used to treat moderate to severe pain.
While you may not see traces of Vicodin specifically after a long period of time, the individual components of the drug may show up in examinations after the fact. Hydrocodone has a half-life of 3-4 hours, so it can take over a day before it is completely broken down and exits the bloodstream.