Waismann Method Medical Director Cautions of Rise in Drug Poisoning Deaths

New Report Shows Prescription Painkillers Responsible for Increase in Leading Cause of Injury Death in United States

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Jan 04, 2012, 08:03 ET

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Jan. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that in 2008, poisoning became the leading cause of injury death in the United States accounting for more than 41,000 deaths, with nine out of 10 mortalities caused by drugs that year. The report also states that misuse and abuse of opioid medications, like Vicodin, Oxycontin, and oxycodone were responsible for much of this increase. Opioid analgesics were involved in more than 40 percent of the incidences. Dr. Michael Lowenstein, co-medical director for the Waismann Method, an advanced procedure for rapid opiate detox, fears this increase is due to a lack of knowledge about the dangers of opioid medications amongst patients as well as improper treatment of injury pain by medical professionals.

"This CDC report is alarming, and highlights the severity of the state of prescription painkiller abuse and misuse in the U.S.," said Dr. Lowenstein. "Prescription drugs are commonly prescribed to treat pain from injury, however they are highly addictive medications with potentially fatal side effects, and many patients are unaware of these dangers. The responsibility lies with physicians who are prescribing these drugs as well as patients who should inform themselves about the risks of any medications they are taking."

The report found that the number of drug poisoning deaths reached approximately 36,500 in 2008, and 14,800 of those involved prescription painkillers. This rate more than tripled from 1999, when opioid analgesics were responsible for approximately 4,000 drug poisoning deaths (or 25 percent of all drug poisoning casualties). Drug poisoning fatalities involving opioid painkillers have increased more rapidly than deaths from any other type of drug, and poisoning is now the leading cause of death from injury in 30 states, including California, Florida, Washington, Nevada and Kentucky.

According to the CDC report, the death rate from drug poisoning was highest among males and older adults, specifically those aged 45 to 54 years old. Additionally, 77 percent of drug poisoning deaths were unintentional, 13 percent were suicides, and nine percent of the deaths were undetermined. Dr. Lowenstein points out that many individuals in the aforementioned age group are prescribed opiate medications for conditions that come with age, like arthritis and osteoporosis, which can cause an injury or pain. Even with very close medical monitoring, taking prescription painkillers simultaneously with other medications can cause unintentional poisoning.

The Waismann Method is a safe and proven treatment for opiate dependency that utilizes the most advanced medical techniques available. The rapid opiate detoxification procedure is carried out in a full-service hospital in Southern California by board-certified anesthesiologists while patients remain under deep sedation, so they experience minimal conscious withdrawal or suffering. Following medical treatment, patients are taken to Domus Retreat for an assessment to determine any underlying causes of dependency, and a customized aftercare plan is assigned to ensure a healthy and effective transition to life without opiates. Patients treated with the Waismann Method achieve an extraordinarily high success rate because they no longer fight the constant physical cravings for opiates that have led them to relapse in the past.

For more information about the Waismann Method please visit opiates.com. For interviews contact Nicolette Surh at 877-975-3423 or send an email to Nicolette(at)rkpr(dot)net.

About The Waismann Method

Performed in a hospital intensive care unit, the Waismann Method involves rapid cleansing of opiate receptors in a patient's brain while the patient is under deep sedation, reversing the chemical imbalance. During the procedure, the patient will experience minimal conscious withdrawal, and will be able to return home within days rather than weeks or months as with traditional detox programs. Around seventy percent of the prescription drug dependent patients who are treated with the Waismann Method remain drug free after one year. Please visit opiates.com for more information.

SOURCE Waismann Method