The sudden departure of Michael Jackson, supposedly addicted to painkillers for 20 years, tragically underscores the urgency with which the FDA should address the issues opana surrounding this nation's lax prescribing regulations, simple availability, and widespread exploitation of opioid painkillers like OxyContin. It's been estimated that more than ten thousand Americans are enduring in the grasp of OxyContin addiction.
Early reports of the pop star expiring less than an hour after receiving an injection of pethidine, or Demerol, as it's better known, have since been refused. Whether true or untrue, numerous instances of sudden cardiac arrest have been followed to "serotonin syndrome", a sudden, overwhelming and hazardous surplus of serotonin action that could result in malfunction of the central nervous system, which can progress to sudden cardiac arrest.
Serotonin syndrome or toxicity might result from tons of drugs, including prescription medications, over the counter treatments, and even popular herbal preparations. Whether used therapeutically or recreationally, such drugs and herbs can result in a lethal toxicity directly or unintentionally through interactions with other drugs or herbs.
Jackson family members, friends as well as coworkers have all been quoted in the media about Jackson's long term prescription drug use. Some have alluded to habit and maybe even dependency, particularly to opioid painkillers like OxyContin. The star's prescription drug use, supposedly to help alleviate chronic back and leg pain brought on by dance harms, was seemingly prodigious.
The Associated Press reported back in January that the vocalist owed a Beverly Hills drugstore $101,926 for prescriptions for just a two-year span, 2005 and 2006. The statements had remained unsettled until Jackson eventually settled a suit with all the drugstore in 2007. The dollar amount was for prescription drugs covering about a two-year span -- a annual average of over $50,000. The typical aged man who has long-term illnesses in the U.S. spent an average of $1,912 for prescriptions in 2005, the AP said.
Jackson, based on family sources, say the singer was suffering from a 20-year addiction to Demerol and other opioid painkillers, and was additionally taking either anti-anxiety drugs (like benzodiazepines), or antidepressants, or both, together with the painkillers, in the months, weeks and days before his terrible ending.