Heroin’s death toll; three suspected Santa Barbara overdoses in one week
Sparking fears that a new, more potent strain of heroin is available on the streets, three people in Santa Barbara have died this week from a suspected heroin overdose. Read more on Santa Barbara Daily Sound
Man accused as heroin ringleader captured
An Aurora man who federal agents say was head of a Chicago heroin ring has been captured. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Dana Bostic, 31, of the 2700 block of Amli Drive in Aurora, was arrested late last week by the U.S. Marshall Service. Read more on The Beacon News
Heroin ‘thrown from other flat’
Two alleged drug dealers were unwittingly caught as police raided a neighbouring flat, a court hears. Read more on BBC News
A report from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices lists several reasons for the serious and sometime fatal overdoses that have occurred when methadone is used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain. ISMP points out that methadone differs from other opioids in a number of ways. For example, methadone remains in the body long after its analgesic effect has worn off. Also, a patient may not experience the full analgesic effect of methadone until 3-5 days of use, so it must be titrated more slowly than other opioids. And a high degree of tolerance to other opioids does not eliminate the possibility of methadone overdose. ISMP cites two fatalities and a near fatality from prescribing too large a methadone dose for patients who had previously taken high daily doses of Oxycontin or Vicodin. Also, if a patient on methadone stops taking the drug for three consecutive days, the patient may lose tolerance for methadone and be at risk for an overdose if the usual dose is resumed. Errors have also been reported because of confusion between methadone and other drugs with “look alike” names. In one report, a 17-year old patient with a traumatic brain injury received 25 mg of methadone BID instead of methylphenidate and suffered respiratory arrest. ISMP also points out that errors can occur because of confusion between mL and mg doses. In one case, a patient had been taking 13 mg/day of methadone, which was prepared in the community pharmacy using a 1 mg/mL methadone …
FDA has issued a Public Health Advisory cautioning practitioners about avoiding overdoses when they are prescribing methadone or managing patients taking this drug. Since the 1970s, methadone has been primarily used in treating drug abuse, but now it’s also being used increasingly for the treatment of pain. FDA issued the Advisory because of reports of life-threatening adverse events and death in patients receiving methadone for pain control. Part of the reason is that physicians prescribing methadone for pain relief may not fully understand the drug’s pharmacology and potential adverse effects. For example, methadone, like other opioids, causes respiratory depression. But in addition, it can also have effects on cardiac conduction, leading to prolonged QT intervals and serious arrhythmias. Methadone also interacts with many other drugs, some of which can slow methadone’s elimination from the body and thus increase the likelihood of overdose and adverse effects related to either respiratory depression or cardiac arrhythmias. Overdoses can also occur because methadone remains in the body much longer than the drug’s analgesic effect lasts. So if a patient takes more methadone to extend the duration of pain relief, he or she may be at serious risk of respiratory depression. The Advisory lists several recommendations for health care professionals, including closely monitoring patients on this drug, especially when starting treatment or adjusting the dose. This should be done …
A report from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices lists several reasons for the serious and sometime fatal overdoses that have occurred when methadone is used to treat moderate to severe chronic pain. ISMP points out that methadone differs from other opioids in a number of ways. For example, methadone remains in the body long after its analgesic effect has worn off. Also, a patient may not experience the full analgesic effect of methadone until 3-5 days of use, so it must be titrated more slowly than other opioids. And a high degree of tolerance to other opioids does not eliminate the possibility of methadone overdose. ISMP cites two fatalities and a near fatality from prescribing too large a methadone dose for patients who had previously taken high daily doses of Oxycontin or Vicodin. Also, if a patient on methadone stops taking the drug for three consecutive days, the patient may lose tolerance for methadone and be at risk for an overdose if the usual dose is resumed. Errors have also been reported because of confusion between methadone and other drugs with “look alike” names. In one report, a 17-year old patient with a traumatic brain injury received 25 mg of methadone BID instead of methylphenidate and suffered respiratory arrest. ISMP also points out that errors can occur because of confusion between mL and mg doses. In one case, a patient had been taking 13 mg/day of methadone, which was prepared in the community pharmacy using a 1 mg/mL methadone …
A person I know died from drug poisoning. He took cocaine and methamphetamine one afternoon, got violently ill later that night (gastrointestinal problems and at least one seizure). The next day he went to his work, feeling much better, but in the afternoon they found him gravelly ill, with bloody froth on his lips. He died shortly after. Could anyone explain to me what chain reaction took place in his body? Thanks!
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