[NurseNancy]

i just read this yesterday.
the FDA has had this drug under their microscope for 2 yrs but never pulled it because they never had enuf clinical data.

well, now they do. this drug is sold under the brand names of Darvon and Darvocet. those are the brand names. the generic name is propoxyphene. that includes those meds that have acetamenaphen mixed with it. this is a pain med.

the new data shows that the drug puts patients at risk for potentially serious or even fatal heart rhythm abnormalities. even the standard therapeutic dose can be harmful to the heart. the new numbers tipped the risk benefit ratio against the drug.

any changes to the heart's electrical activity are not cumulative. that means that when you stop the med the risk will go away.

i almost bought myself a trip to the ER last wk. i had a 45" episode of atrial tachycardia and i was not feeling well. just about the time i went back to the darvocet from the percoset that i had for my surgery. hmmmm?

please check with your drs before you stop any drug.

[Mariel]

I read somewhere that this drug has been on the market for 50 years. Can't verify.

[NurseNancy]

you're right mariel,

i want to say since 1954. somewhere around there.

[mrsD]

It is totally amazing how long the process of removing a dangerous (and in the case mostly useless, but highly addictive drug)
can take!

Lilly sold the Darvon/Darvocet name years ago to get rid of it and the liability it was causing them.

They extended their patent on this drug from Darvon>to Darvon compound> Darvocet. So they got a "good run" and lots of profits from it before they sold the patent to the other manufacturer.

All patients currently taking this drug should taper off of it with a doctor's supervision. (and avoid other drugs in the meantime with long QT potential, to lessen cardiac events)

This is a website with lists of drugs involved in this side effect:
http://www.azcert.org/

[NurseNancy]

i agree. i wonder why none of my many drs didn't at least mention this cardiac effect to me. you'd think at least the prescribing pain dr should have known it was being investigated. and that the FDA had racheted up their investigation.
it had been going on in earnest for 2 yrs.

some of these drs even knew about my arrythmia.

that's why i try very hard to read up on my meds from the drug comp's handouts. you can't depend on drs to catch everything. i'm also the one who caught that my antidepressant was a drug that could interfere with the effectiveness of my tamoxifen. we got that switched. that scared me because for 18 mos this could have been happening and i don't want a recurrence of cancer.

thanks for your input.