PULSE OXIMETERS WITH AUDIBLE ALARMS COULD REDUCE METHADONE OVERDOSE DEATHS
November 03, 2007
PULSE OXIMETERS WITH AUDIBLE ALARMS COULD REDUCE METHADONE OVERDOSE DEATHS

TARPON SPRINGS, FL, NOV 3,2007

The National Center for Health Statistics reports 3,849 poisoning deaths,involving methadone,in 2,004. Tragically, many methadone overdose deaths occur during sleep, when over-sedated methadone patients stop breathing. Pulse oximeters, with audible alarms, could alert family members to obtain emergency medical assistance for methadone patients, while a methadone overdose is still reversible with Naloxone.

Many Methadone patients die, during sleep, when their breathing stops. Tragically, many of these deaths occur, while family or friends are present, in the same building or room. If sleeping methadone patients wear pulse oximeters, an audible alarm can alert a friend or family member when a methadone patient's breathing becomes inadequate. If emergency medical services are called promptly, methadone overdose can be reversed with an injection of the opiate antagonist, Naloxone.

A September 6, 2007 report, in Pain Medicine, revealed that 75 percent of Methadone patients suffer sleep apnea. Lead author, Dr. Lynn R. Webster, from Lifetree Clinical Research and Pain Clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah concluded the apnea-hypopnea index severity was directly related to methadone dosage, but appeared less affected by other opiate painkillers.
Sleep Apnea Often Seen With Chronic Opioid Use CME http://www.rtmagazine.com/reuters_article.asp?id=20070921clin009.html
Apnea occurs when a person stops breathing for 10 seconds or more. Hypopnea is a decrease in breathing not as severe as an apnea. If normal breath airflow is 100% to 70%, a hypopnea is 69% to 26% of a normal breath. Like apneas, hypopneas are associated with a 4% or greater drop in the saturation of oxygen in the blood and usually occur during sleep. Sleep apnea can cause insomnia, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and obesity. Severe sleep apnea can cause brain damage or death.

Pulse oximeters with audible alarms could alert friends or family, in the same building, when a methadone patient experiences life-threatening sleep apnea. Pulse oximeters attach to a fingertip, with a wire extending to the oximeter meter, which measures percent oxygen saturation, in the bloodstream. Pulse oximeters do not cause pain and seldom interfere with sleep. No special certification or licensing is required to use a pulse oximeter. Rick Sponaugle, MD, Medical Director of Florida Detox, explains Methadone patients could be prescribed a pulse oximeter and medical oxygen apparatus, using a sleep apnea diagnosis, without revealing a substance abuse dependency, to an insurer.

If the pulse oximeter alarmed, while a methadone patient, experienced a reduced blood oxygen level, a friend or family member could call emergency medical services. While waiting for the arrival of emergency medical services, a friend or family member could begin treatment with medical oxygen, at a low flow, in states allowing non-licensed family members to administer oxygen. Licensing or certification required to administer oxygen varies from state to state.

Hospital Emergency Department and Ambulance personnel have successfully reversed thousands of opiate overdoses with prescription Naloxone. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, which displaces opioid drugs, including methadone, heroin, morphine and Vicodin off opiate receptors in the brain, and reverses respiratory depression and coma. Naloxone is not addictive. Naloxone can cause unpleasant opiate withdrawal in opiate dependent patients, but opiate withdrawal is seldom deadly. Naloxone is inexpensive, with the generic version costing as little as 25-cents per dose.

“Unfortunately, the negative stigma, associated with narcotic medications, prevents many methadone patients from asking friends or family for help. Methadone patients must remember methadone withdrawal is treatable while methadone death is not, when considering whether to ask friends or family for help. With reported profits of $10.00 daily, methadone clinics could afford to provide pulse oximeters to their patients," explains Dr. Sponaugle, who is Board Certified in Addiction Medicine and Anesthesiology.

Florida Detox has successfully treated over 4000 chemically dependent patients, providing a more scientific, less painful and effective road to recovery than most traditional detox programs. Florida Detox provides rapid detox for opiates, including Methadone, Oxycontin, Vicodin, Percocet, Lortab, and Norco. Florida Detox successfully detoxes patients who use over 300 milligrams of methadone daily. Florida Detox also provides medical detox for alcohol, Xanax, Klonopin and Valium. For more information see www.floridadetox.com or call Florida Detox at 1-888-775-2770.

Contact:

Ryan Sponaugle
Operations Director
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1-888-775-2770.
About the Press Release
Pulse oximeters, with audible alarms, could alert family members to obtain emergency medical assistance for methadone overdose patients, while a methadone overdose is still reversible with Naloxone.


 
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