HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Interesting find concerning prolonged QTwave

Support Forums
>
Chronic Pain
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/27/2013 2:59 AM (GMT 0)
I was doing some reading earlier on Drugdigest and actually was looking at Butrans because someone had asked me why they were not using it for addiction versus the sublingual or buccal mode of delivery. I didnt know but it was an interesting question.

To the point Barbara Lee and I both are relegated to a minimum dose due to long-term problems methadone cause with prolonged QT wave intervals. I had not heard any such problems with this being found involving any other pain Med but there it was listed under the Butrans.

I know we have members using this and was wondering if this had been mentioned to you? Im still looking at what dose or length of use they've found this to occur.

Would it not be feasible to think that all meds such as subutex and suboxone would have the same effect?

I work with many domestic violence people who are on this track of rehab for addiction and although we do a medical work -up on intake this is not something we check or even were aware of.

Anyone that knows more or comes across anything relating to this I would, appreciate the information.
Posted 6/27/2013 3:05 AM (GMT 0)
I could search this but thought I would instead ask for brief definition of
"QT wave intervals" so all of us might know.

Thnx !!
Posted 6/27/2013 3:17 AM (GMT 0)
Vickie,

What's the exact question - whether these other meds (subutex, etc) can cause the same prolonged QT wave intervals like methadone?

A quick google search seemed to suggest yes.... that being said - I don't have any personal experience w/ these other meds (only methadone, which I was on for awhile).

Diane - basically, prolonged QT wave intervals can suggest cardiac arrhythmias.

--Tina
Posted 6/27/2013 3:35 AM (GMT 0)
Diane sorry can't break an old nurse from those horrible terminology uses. I still catch myself using medical symbols on my grocery lists. Lol

It is a cardiac wave in the rotation of a beat simply.

Tina I guess I was wondering if this held true for all the like meds and if those folks on Butrans gets informed and hassled like we on methadone do. I've actually been asked inpatient to sign a waiver and release of responsibility by 2 anesthesiologists pre-op concerning this and the danger yet I've not had one person on Butrans or sub-x ever mention it.

Thanks Diane for anything you can find as knowledge is power in my thinking but these kinds of oversight is the exact way many new meds get took off market. When deaths start reaching proportions that's noticed. It's happened with several of very good anti-inflams and they knew long before we did and it's possible those bans wouldn't have happened if folks had been informed and had choices that were knowledgeable.

Thinking maybe we as methadone users are not anymore at risk as others, we know and that gives us more options.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply