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Article: The methadone poisoning "epidemic": increasing use of methadone as a pain killer may be fueling a disturbing increase in deaths related to this potent drug.
- Article from:
- The Forensic Examiner
- Article date:
- June 22, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 American College of Forensic Examiners. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Death and morbidity associated with methadone treatment has increased dramatically in recent years, largely in the population prescribed this drug for pain control rather than addiction maintenance. Inadvertent overdose is becoming increasingly common, likely in part because the drug's acute pain-relieving effect lasts only 4 to 6 hours, yet it has a very long and variable plasma half-life of 24 to 36 (in some studies 15 to 55) hours, is stored in body tissues, and toxic accumulation occurs with too-frequent consumption. Adverse effects are most common in patients treated with methadone in combination with other drugs. Both cardiac and ...