Author Interviews, Emergency Care, Heart Disease, Opiods / 05.05.2016
Over-the-Counter Diarrhea Medication is an Opioid That Can Cause Cardiac Death
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
William Eggleston, PharmD
Fellow in Clinical Toxicology/Emergency Medicine
Upstate Medical University
Upstate New York Poison Center
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Eggleston: The case series describes two deaths associated with loperamide abuse with supportive post-mortem findings. It adds to the growing body of literature reporting cardiac toxicity after loperamide abuse and demonstrates the deadly consequences. It also highlights the growing trend of loperamide abuse amongst opioid addicted patients looking to get high or stave off withdrawal symptoms.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Dr. Eggleston: Readers should recognize that loperamide is an OTC opioid medication that acts similarly to morphine or heroin in the body after high doses. The drug is easily abused due to its low cost, ease of accessibility, legal status, and lack of social stigma associated with its possession. Most importantly, loperamide is a cardiac toxin that causes conduction disturbances in high doses and can produce deadly dysrhythmias.
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