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Methadone: Uses, Abuses, and Metabolism

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Substance Abuse

Abstract

Methadone, classically used to prevent withdrawal in heroin addicts, has relatively recently seen a significant increase in the use to treat chronic pain, especially neuropathic pain. Its lack of euphoria, its efficacy in treating neuropathic pain and opioid-induced hyperalgia, its inherently long action, and its low cost has fueled the increased use. Unfortunately, methadone also has several unique, potentially lethal qualities (cardiac arrhythmias, drug–drug interactions) that must be understood when prescribing this medication. This chapter reviews the uses, abuses, metabolism, drug interactions, genetics, precautions, and recommendations.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pain and Headache Center, Wasilla, AK, USA

    Andrea Trescot M.D.

  2. Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Natalia Murinova M.D., M.H.A.

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Pain and Anesthesia, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Daniel Krashin M.D.

Authors
  1. Andrea Trescot M.D.
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  2. Natalia Murinova M.D., M.H.A.
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  3. Daniel Krashin M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrea Trescot M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Louisiana State University Interim Hospital, and Ochsner Kenner Hospital, Departments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    Alan David Kaye

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine and Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Nalini Vadivelu

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Richard D. Urman

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Trescot, A., Murinova, N., Krashin, D. (2015). Methadone: Uses, Abuses, and Metabolism. In: Kaye, A., Vadivelu, N., Urman, R. (eds) Substance Abuse. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1951-2_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1951-2_22

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-1950-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-1951-2

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