Loperamide Abuse Associated With Cardiac Dysrhythmia and Death

[Project Will]

I used loperamide for two years in doses of 50-200mg per day, mostly to deal with heroin withdrawals but sometimes for extended periods. Anyone who does the same or is thinking of using lope may want to take a look at this article:

Loperamide Abuse Associated With Cardiac Dysrhythmia and Death
"ABSTRACT: Loperamide is an over-the-counter antidiarrheal with μ-opioid agonist activity. Central nervous system opioid effects are not observed after therapeutic oral dosing because of poor bioavailability and minimal central nervous system penetration. However, central nervous system opioid effects do occur after supratherapeutic oral doses. Recently, oral loperamide abuse as an opioid substitute has been increasing among patients attempting to self-treat their opioid addiction. Ventricular dysrhythmias and prolongation of the QRS duration and QTc interval have been reported after oral loperamide abuse. We describe 2 fatalities in the setting of significantly elevated loperamide concentrations."

The full article can be viewed here: http://www.annemergmed.com/article/S...052-X/abstract

 

[ro4eva]

I'd be more concerned about the toilet, poor thing.

 

[cj]

That's a dead link OP

 

[Captain.Heroin]

So it has similar issues to methadone/LAAM

Not entirely surprising.