Home > Methadone and its effect on QTc prolongation.

Hussey, Deirdre and McCarthy, Catherine and Keenan, Eamon (2009) Methadone and its effect on QTc prolongation. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 26, (1), pp. 43-44.

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Dear Editor – Methadone is a synthetic opioid which has been successful used in treating heroin addiction and chronic pain syndrome in palliative care for more than 30 years. Methadone maintenance programmes for heroin dependency has shown reduction in mortality and morbidity. It has shown direct reductions in addiction related crime and drug arrests. Several case reports have highlighted methadone’s association with QT prolongation and the risk of Torsades de Pointes, a potentially lethal ventricular tachycardia. Levacetylmethadol, a derivative of methadone was withdrawn from US markets in 2003 due to prolongation of QT interval and an association with Torsades de Pointes.


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