Methadone used in addiction treatment implicated in sudden cardiac deaths, study reports

"A 2008 study from the Oregon Health & Science University suggests that methadone taken at therapeutic levels may be involved in sudden cardiac deaths. What that means is that even if it is not being abused, when it is simply taken for chronic pain or for treatment of addiction to opiates such as heroin or morphine, methadone may be killing people. The OHSU study analyzed sudden cardiac deaths in the greater Portland, Oregon area to compare deaths in which therapeutic levels of methadone were found to similar deaths in which no methadone was found. In the methadone group, 77 percent had no significant coronary artery disease which led researchers to conclude that the methadone present had very likely contributed to these deaths. The researchers recommended that a larger evaluation of methadone therapy be done and suggested that more safeguards might be needed when the drug is prescribed." - TransWorldNews