Drugs, Doctors and Death: Heath Ledger Becomes Another Victim

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Throughout the past decade,
Florida Detox(TM) has successfully treated over 5,000 addicted patients.
Interestingly, Florida Detox(TM) has seen an exorbitant increase in the ratio
of patients using prescription medications, compared to patients using illicit
street drugs. Ten years ago, 50% of our patients were addicted to
prescription pain medications. In 2007, 95% of our patients were treated for
prescription medication addiction. The recent surge of deaths derived from
doctor prescribed medication has far surpassed the overdose prevalence related
to illicit street drugs. This alarming trend has recently come to light
secondary to the tragic death of Hollywood celebrity Heath Ledger.
This Hollywood actor allegedly overdosed from a combination of physician
prescribed opiate pain medication, such as Oxycontin(R), Vicodin(R), or
Percocet(R) and a benzodiazepine (Xanax(R), Klonopin(R), Valium(R)) class of
anti-anxiety medication. The combination of these two classes of medication
can produce a synergistic effect causing respiratory depression and overdose
death.
Ironically, the majority of adult patients treated for addiction at
Florida Detox(TM) have been prescribed both classes of drugs by their doctor.
Many of these patients state that their "pain doctor" simply asks them what
opiate or benzo they want, spending less than five minutes with them, during
their visit. These patients become dysfunctional at work and home secondary
to decreased cognitive ability. Many experience short-term memory problems
and frequently forget how much medication they have taken. This phenomenon
can precipitate accidental overdose, as in the case of Heath Ledger.
Unfortunately, many physicians fail to closely monitor the patient's declining
mental function.
Our clinical research demonstrates that patients who "feel more normal" on
the combination of these sedating medications typically suffer from an
underlying anxiety disorder. These anxiety disorders are usually biochemical
in nature and can be effectively treated with non-addictive medication, if
properly diagnosed.
Men like Heath Ledger, who suffer anxiety and insomnia disorders,
frequently have genetic deficiencies of serotonin or excess production of
dopamine, glutamate, phenylethylamine or histamine. The increased prevalence
of depression, anxiety, and insomnia disorders in America is multi-factorial
and correlates directly to the exponential growth of pill popping patients.
Both patients and physicians are responsible for creating America's addiction
epidemic.
SOURCE Florida Detox

Rick Sponaugle, MD, Medical Director, Florida Detox, Board Certified in
Addiction Medicine, +1-727-945-9198