In recent weeks, the FDA removed the drugs Darvon and Darvocet from the market. The drugs, which have been linked to decades of questionable side effects related to heart problems and death have finally caused enough damage to be shelved indefinitely. The primary ingredient in Darvon and Darvocet is propoxyphene–an opiod pain reliever often used to treat mild to moderate pain. The drug, which has been used for decades for pain relief has been shown to have detrimental effects on the heart muscle, even at therapeutic levels. The FDA has removed any drugs that contain propoxyphene whether alone or in combination with other drugs like acetaminophen. Â
The removal of propoxyphene was related to the results of a study that showed that the drug causes changes in the electrical conductivity of the heart–specifically prolonged PR, and QT intervals and a widened QRS–all of which can contribute to arrhythmias that could be fatal for some people. Physicians are being told to stop prescribing the drug and to contact patients who may be currently taking it to ensure compliance with the new regulations. Anyone who has the drug in their possession should make sure to dispose of it properly–never down plumbing where it may contaminate water supplies but instead by rendering the medication unpalatable by mixing it with another substance, like coffee grounds or kitty litter then sealing in a container and throwing it out with the household trash.
Xanodyne, maker of the drugs Darvocet and Darvon-N announced in November that the drugs would be recalled–many suspect that this initial announcement was in fact forced by the Food and Drug Administration. However these brand name drugs only comprise about 1% of all propoxyphene prescriptions written in this country and there is a long road ahead to ensure that all generic, and other brand name medications that contain it are removed from pharmacy shelves as promptly as possible.
Propoxyphene has been linked to heart attacks, strokes, overdose and suicide and many users of the drug or family members are being counseled to seek legal advice on further litigation against drug manufacturers. Anytime there is an abnormal heart beat, blood can collect in the chambers of the heart and then eject a clot at any time–sending it into the circulation where it can lodge in the heart, brain or other region and result in serious consequences–even death.
Darvon was the first of this classification of drugs to be released for use as far back as 1957, and since its inception has seen as many as 600 million prescriptions written for drugs that contain propoxyphene. The drug has been scrutinized and long suspected of providing less-than-adequate pain relief. Finally, now the medical world is seeing that the risks far outweigh the benefits.