A community-based evaluation of sudden death associated with therapeutic levels of methadone

The American Journal of Medicine
Sumeet S ChughKaren Gunson

Abstract

Published case reports have associated the therapeutic use of methadone with the occasional occurrence of sudden cardiac death. Because of the established utility of this drug and with the eventual goal of enhancing safety of use, we performed a community-based study to evaluate this association. During a 4-year period, we prospectively evaluated all patients who consecutively had sudden cardiac death and underwent investigation by the medical examiner in the metropolitan area of Portland, Ore. Case subjects of interest were those with a therapeutic blood level of methadone (<1 mg/L), and case comparison subjects were those with no methadone identified. Patients with recreational drug use or any drug overdose were excluded from either group. Detailed autopsies were conducted, including the detection and quantification of all substances in the blood. A total of 22 sudden cardiac death cases with therapeutic levels of methadone (mean 0.48+/-0.22 mg/L; range 0.1-0.9 mg/L) were identified (mean age 37.0+/-10 years, 68% were male) and compared with 106 consecutive sudden cardiac death cases without evidence of methadone (mean age 42+/-13 years, 69% were male). The most common indication for methadone use was pain control (n=12, 55%)...Continue Reading

References

Jul 15, 1995·The American Journal of Cardiology·W K ShenB J Gersh
Sep 10, 1999·International Journal of Epidemiology·N McCarthy, J Giesecke
Aug 10, 2000·Circulation·S S ChughJ L Titus
Jan 5, 2002·Journal of Addictive Diseases·R L DeamerJ G Prichard
Oct 22, 2002·The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics·Alexander N KatchmanSteven N Ebert
Dec 14, 2002·The Clinical Journal of Pain·Charles E Inturrisi
Jul 16, 2003·Annals of Internal Medicine·David De BelsJacques Devriendt
Sep 11, 2003·Annals of Internal Medicine·Montserrat SalaManuel Cervantes
Oct 7, 2003·Pain·Craig A KornickPaolo L Manfredi
Feb 11, 2004·Archives of Internal Medicine·Mori J Krantz, Philip S Mehler
Jan 1, 1997·European Journal of Pain : EJP·S Mercadante
May 4, 2004·Journal of the American College of Cardiology·Sumeet S ChughSusan J Hayflick
Dec 21, 2004·European Addiction Research·Icro MaremmaniAlessandro Tagliamonte
Mar 19, 2005·Journal of Addictive Diseases·Carol J StrikeMargaret Millson
Mar 23, 2005·The American Journal of Cardiology·Bridget A MartellMarc N Gourevitch
May 13, 2005·European Heart Journal·Sabine M J M StrausBruno H Ch Stricker
May 27, 2005·Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety·Ellen C Pearson, Raymond L Woosley
Jun 10, 2005·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Suzanne Nielsen, David A Taylor

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 30, 2010·International Journal of Legal Medicine·Patrick Johannes Laberke, Christine Bartsch
Aug 8, 2008·Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology : an International Journal of Arrhythmias and Pacing·Jason Levi EssesSam Hanon
Feb 24, 2010·Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology : an International Journal of Arrhythmias and Pacing·Sam HanonJonathan Rosman
Jan 21, 2010·Journal of General Internal Medicine·Vania Modesto-LoweNancy Petry
Apr 28, 2010·Nature Reviews. Cardiology·Sumeet S Chugh
Oct 27, 2011·Journal of Addictive Diseases·Mark C Haigney
Oct 27, 2011·Journal of Addictive Diseases·Judith A MartinUNKNOWN Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Aug 16, 2011·Journal of Addiction Medicine·Steven B Karch
Mar 16, 2013·Journal of Anaesthesiology, Clinical Pharmacology·Sameer Gupta, Robert Atcheson
Jun 16, 2010·Pain Medicine : the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine·Nabarun DasguptaRichard C Dart
Apr 23, 2008·The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse·Noni A GrahamMark S Gold
Jun 12, 2012·Pain Medicine : the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine·Christopher SpevakMark C Haigney
Aug 27, 2015·Pain Medicine : the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine·Thien C PhamRobert B Raffa
Oct 2, 2012·Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment·Charles Lung-Cheng Huang, Chung Wei Lee
Jan 10, 2016·Journal of Medical Toxicology : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology· American College Of Medical Toxicology
Jul 26, 2011·Heart Rhythm : the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society·Marc A MillerAndre d'Avila
Mar 2, 2011·Primary Care·Joseph J Benich
Jun 14, 2008·Headache·John F Rothrock
May 10, 2012·Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy·Robert B RaffaJoseph V Pergolizzi
Jun 23, 2015·International Journal of High Risk Behaviors & Addiction·Sameer HassamalAnanda Pandurangi
Feb 24, 2009·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Evan D KharaschPamela Sheffels Bedynek
Sep 9, 2008·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Francina FonsecaMarta Torrens
May 19, 2009·Seminars in Oncology Nursing·Perry G Fine
Jan 14, 2017·Journal of Palliative Medicine·Rabia S AtayeeKyle P Edmonds
Jul 28, 2016·International Journal of Legal Medicine·Xiulu RuanAlan David Kaye
Jan 1, 2010·Clinical Cardiology·Robin A P WeirHenry J Dargie
Mar 7, 2017·Clinical Pharmacology in Drug Development·Evan D Kharasch
Dec 2, 2008·Journal of Addictive Diseases·Robert G Newman
Oct 30, 2013·Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology·W Victor R ViewegAnanda K Pandurangi
Oct 28, 2017·The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease·Joseph WestermeyerTegan Batres-Y-Carr
Nov 16, 2012·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·Simon HaroutiunianArthur G Lipman
Jun 22, 2013·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·Pier Paolo PaniMatteo Pacini
May 18, 2017·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·Ewan D McNicolRoman Schumann
Aug 24, 2013·Circulation. Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology·Eric C SteckerSumeet S Chugh
Jul 22, 2008·Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
Apr 24, 2009·American Journal of Health-system Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists·John StringerAnthony Tommasello
Jun 3, 2010·American Journal of Health-system Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists·Andrew ByrneRobert G Newman
Jul 3, 2009·International Journal of Clinical Practice·W Leppert

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle, that can lead to muscular or electrical dysfunction of the heart. It is often an irreversible disease that is associated with a poor prognosis. There are different causes and classifications of cardiomyopathies. Here are the latest discoveries pertaining to this disease.

Birth Defects

Birth defects encompass structural and functional alterations that occur during embryonic or fetal development and are present since birth. The cause may be genetic, environmental or unknown and can result in physical and/or mental impairment. Here is the latest research on birth defects.