Sex:	Female
Country:	United States
City:	CLANTON
Date of birth:	May 25, 1961
Profile status:	Active
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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 Methadone is relatively available on the illicit market as there are large numbers of tolerant individuals whose daily dose is well over the lethal dose for non-tolerant individuals. This may explain why, of the fatalities , only 25% had been previously notified to the Home Office . Methadone is one of the strongest opiates. It has a slow onset of action and a long half-life and causes severe respiratory depression which is usually the cause of death. Methadone overdose is a serious medical emergency. In the event of suspected overdose call an ambulance. If the person is losing consciousness lie them on their side in the recovery position so that they will not choke if they vomit. Inducing people to vomit is not recommended because of the risk of rapid onset of CNS depression/unconsciousness which could lead to choking. Symptoms of an Overdose from Methadone include but are not limited to the following:
muscle spasticity difficulty breathing slow, shallow and labored breathing stopped breathing (sometimes fatal within 2-4 hours) pinpoint pupils bluish skin bluish fingernails and lips spasms of the stomach and/or intestinal tract constipation weak pulse low blood pressure drowsiness disorientation coma death

Dont Do Drugs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDN7qwsZKEo

Methadone I lost my son to methadone diversion,overdose on someone's else's take home dose from a methadone clinic. Because my son is a victim of methadone diversion,I have set this site to warn of the dangers to this deadly drug,If my son or myself had know the signs or the facts of this drug he would be here.So this is for all that don't know the facts and the signs to this deadly drug. This drug is everywhere,methadone clinics open up like walmart on every corner and doctors or despenceing this drug like candy and our love ones that don't know the risks or the signs or dangers are losing there lives to methadone.So I hope and pray that this site may save a life. KJ"S MEMORIAL PAGE myspace.com/kjpeaceout