Methadone Can Kill Even at Therapeutic Levels
Methadone, a drug used primarily for drug addiction withdrawal and chronic pain relief, can cause sudden cardiac death even when it is not overdosed, but is taken at normal therapeutic levels. This warning was issued by Oregon Health and Science University researchers after studying cases of sudden cardiac deaths in Portland, Oregon.
The researchers evaluated all sudden cardiac deaths in the Portland area between 2002 and 2006 where detailed autopsies were performed. One group consisted of 22 deaths in which toxicology reports found 1 mg or less of methadone. They compared these cases with 106 in which no methadone was found.
In the first group, 17 of 22, or 77 percent, had no significant cardiac abnormalities and only five had evidence of coronary artery disease. In the control group, 60 percent had identifiable evidence of cardiac disease or structural abnormalities.
"The unexpectedly high proportion of otherwise unexplained sudden deaths in the therapeutic methadone group points to a significant contribution of this drug toward the occurrence of sudden cardiac death among these patients," said Sumeet Chugh, M.D., lead investigator, in a news release.
Sleep Apnea a Risk Also
More than half of the 22 in the first case group were using the drug for pain control, three for drug addiction, three for recreational use and four for an undetermined reason, the researchers found.
The authors noted that they could not rule out sleep apnea as a cause of deaths for some in the methadone group. Others studies have found that methadone prevention programs have increased sleep architecture abnormalities and a higher prevalence of sleep apnea.
Dr. Chugh suggests using additional safeguards before placing patients on methadone, such as an electrocardiogram and assessment of risk for respiratory suppression.
The study was published in the January 2008 issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
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Comments
Using methadone was not good for me I am an recovering heroin addict and got off heroin and put on methadone which was crazy you can’t trade one drug for another drug.Not only did I lie to all my family about how good I was doing most important I was lieing to myself and ended right back in the spoon.Dr.’s should never be able to perscribe this drug to no one.
The majority of persons use methadone properly and as prescribed. Methadone is not trading one drug for another that is a big misunderstanding - methadone has completely different pharmacological properties than does heroin — that is short acting, produces euphoria and has a high potential for abuse. Methadone is long acting, it produces sedation but not euphoria (some people confuse sedation with euphoria but you will not have opium dreams taking methadone that is euphoria) and the potential for abuse is low compared to other psychotropic drugs.
Working a program and re-gaining your life back is a person’s own responsibility. Because Don did not and abused methadone is not the fault of methadone — it was his fault. He had an opportunity and he did not take it.
Methadone is the most effective treatment for opiate addiction. It has been thoroughly evaluated in the U.S. and other countries have also undertaken the same research. All have found that when an adequate dose of methadone is prescribed that patients stop using opiate drugs. This regimen when applied with counseling helps patients begin to regain their lives because they are no longer craving drugs and their health is improved. Patients are then able to receive training and hold jobs to support their families.
The relapse rate for opiate addiction is 70%. This is true whether the treatment is residential, pharmacotherapy or 12 steps. The reason for this is that opiate addiction is a brain disease with strong genetic contributions. And like also chronic diseases it can not be cured but it is treatable. Like persons with other chronic diseases some people can function without medication while others need medication or they will begin to display symptoms of the disease. For example with diabetes some can control it with diet and exercise while other diabetics need medication. The same is true for opiate addiction.
The problem is that many addicts do not understand their disease as Don.
It is recommended that for opiate addiction treatment that any patient with a history of a heart condition have this checked before taking methadone. The prescription for using methadone for pain and opiate addiction is very different and most of the problems have been with pain patients and in addiction treatment patients taking very high doses and other psychotropic medications.
If you are taking methadone please consult with your doctor regarding any issues with heart conditions.
Addendium
There is evdience among opiate addiction patients that methadone is cardio protective.
These studies are not well done and there are problems with the control groups.
I agree that methadone isn’t anything but a replacement drug. The idea is to detox American’s to be Drug Free…not hooked on something else. I understand that it is legal in some cases but so is alcohol and we have so many fatalities every year due to this legal drug. In my belief, you are not in control of your addiciton just becuase you got a script for it. It still controls you. I have been there and I am no longer being controlled by anything. I found this wonderful program called Narconon Arrowhead and it has given me my life back, completely drug free. Check it out. www.stopaddiction.com
StopAddiction
What about ibogaine?
only 1 session can stop opiate addiction.
IBOGAINE doesnt work for everyone it is very expensive and risky and illegal in the US you have to seek underground treatment here. But when IBOGAINE DOES WORK it is nothing short of MIRACULOUS and EVEN THEN the effect doesnt last and you can still become readdicted but if you do the right thing and get help or support and change your lifestyle then the MIRICLE of IBOGAINE will stay with you but it is up to you. And REMEMBER for a lot of people IBOGAINE doenst even WORK at all. But whe IT DOES……………MAN what an experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so its a gamble.
The methadone clinic where I live doesn’t help anyone. It makes about 1 billion dollars a year. A drug addict can go there with drugs in his or her system and the clinic will still give them their dose. The clinic does not monitor or screen its patients. I have had family members and co-workers have have went to this clinic. Nearly all of them are dead or close to it. This clinic is only open in the morning for a short time. People driving by it on their way to work have been hit by addicts coming from the clinic or trying to get to the clinic before it closes. 95 % or the people that go there never improve or have their dosages reduceded. A person going to this clinic can complain of having a little bit or dizziness or fatigue and the clinic will increase their dosage. I can tell you that I have worked and delt with people going to this client. Their life and their work is never stable or functional. It is a very sad thing. A better treatment would be one in which the person could be taken down and then completely off of it all and a good therapist that cares more about helping people instead of keeping them coming back so they can make more money.
I’ve been on methadone for over 20 years, yes that is correct, 20 years. Not only has the methadone giving me a better quality of life I’ve been able to hold a job, get involved in counsoling and achive a higher education. And all of this time because of methadone. It’s time to forget the stero typing of a skinney, unkeep, holowed eyed person waiting in line with prostutes and bank robbers to get there methadone drink. If you would research what you think you know about you would be supprised at the clinites that go there. Like the early morning crowed on there way to work. You’d see construction workers, secratearys, and semi truck drivers like myself. I pay 285.00 a month for my methadone, if I chose a life of crim and was in prison for trying to suppor a herion or oxycotain habit it would cost you the tax payer 55,000.00 per year to house me. You do the math. I did one year in prison for under the influnce of drugs, I’m not allowed to get on a one year waiting list for a state drug program. But do the math. The people you speak of about the heart attackes are the ones who could never afford health care and with no money to get on methadone 285.00 to see a clinic doctor lived in pure hell with a needle in their arm, never eating, catching every sickness known to man for years, untill the day they came up with the money to get on the methadone program are the people that have the heart attacks. A famouse writer who was an addic was asked, “what dose it feel like to have opiate withdraws?” He thought of a minute and lowered his head and said “It felt like being boiled in oil and freezing at the same time”. I myself hurt so bad I could feel the hairs coming out on my arm, they hurt. You jack asses read a book and think you know all there is, Go park in front of a methadone clinic and you wont belive the nice looking people going in.
Wow. What small minded people. I am currently in a methadone clinic and it is saving my life. If it wasn’t for the clinic I would still be out on the streets shooting heroin everyday and stealing from my loved ones and from stores just to keep from getting sick. “Michele” seems to know little about methadone clinic or how they function. She claims that 95% of people never get their life together. Do you know 95% of the people who use the clinic? I doubt it. Some people in Methadone treatment will continue to abuse other drugs, as will people in all kinds of treatments, but for the most part methadone saves lives and takes people from a life of street drugs and crime to a life of being able to live as a normal human being
this whole page is so incorrect methadone is some what dangerous but heroin addicts looking for a fix are much more harmful to themselves and others with out methadone it fills the opioid receptors so the person can function and stay clear of people who use or sell ,things which trigger cravings and avoid places like drug spots or places of prior use. I must say most of the deaths from methadone are caused by the people abusing it and I understand the family and loved ones of the dead wanting to blame methadone but one thing you learn in any rehab or AA and Al ANON is take responsibility don’t blame others or blame the drug you took it bought it and found the dealer. Methadone clinics are one of the greatest things on this planet they serve the poor and rich with equal treatment they take overwhelming precautions (I am sure that there are bad ones but few)I am an Addict and out patient and in patient along with suboxone did not stop my use but taught me what to do when clean after my first dose of methadone I have been clean 2 years the other treatment took 2 years too and I learned what to do to stop and how to stay sober but I did not have sustained sobriety till methadone. All the treatments were worth it they all gave me tools for sobriety but methadone allowed me to be clean and some people say I traded one opioid for another It is but with methadone I can’t get AIDS or get arrested or be shot when getting robbed and methadone is socially acceptable and you are not ostracized (Fair no) and most of all you do not cause your family pain. Methadone may not be a cure but is the best damn weapon to fight long term heroin addiction.