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The article reports on the advisory of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that methadone has been associated with death and life-threatening side effects. Among the life-threatening side effects of the drug are respiratory insufficiency and arrhythmias. The agency speculated that the effects may be the result of an unintentional overdose or drug interaction.

The article covers issues related to medical care in the U.S. Medically Induced Trauma Support Services group offers support for patients and families. Joon Powell and Molly Secours has released the documentary "The Faces of TennCare," that features Tennessee residents who lost TennCare coverage in 2005. Electrical stun guns could increase vulnerability for life-threatening arrhythmias according to a research presented by Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and Toronto General Hospital in Ontario.

The article deals with a debate on warnings for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) stimulants. An advisory committee of the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that manufacturers of stimulants used to treat ADHD include written guides to patients and place prominent warnings on the drug labels regarding potentially dangerous cardiac effects of these drugs. FDA presented reports of 25 sudden deaths among stimulant users, mostly children, and a preliminary analysis suggesting that stimulants might increase risks of strokes and serious arrhythmia.

The article presents news related to veterinary medicine in the U.S. North Dakota's first case of West Nile virus in a horse in two years was confirmed in May 2005. University of Florida veterinarians successfully performed intracardiac electrical conversion of a common arrhythmia in two horses that displayed irregular and fast heartbeats. Veterinarians might have an opportunity to boost revenue by keeping better tabs on osteoarthritis, according to an owners' and trainers' survey by IDEXX Laboratories.

Focuses on the discovery of SCN5A, a variation of mutant genes that cause potential heart rhythm irregularities and arrhythmias. Variance of SCN5A among blacks; Mechanism followed by the gene that causes potential heart ailment; Possible link between the gene and susceptibility to arrhythmia following intake of antihistamines or blood pressure drugs.

The article reports developments pertaining to the medical devices industry in the U.S. Patients who suffered certain types of arrhythmias can already benefit from treatment with an ablation catheter. BioControl Medical is enrolling patients for an international, multi-center, open-label clinical study of the CardioFit system for the treatment of congestive heart failure. Zevex International Inc. has executed a definitive Merger Agreement with Moog Inc.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning women no to use the unapproved drug domperidone to increase their milk production. According to several case studies, the drug caused arrhythmia, cardiac arrest and sudden death in some patients receiving the intravenous from the drug. It is approved only for gastric distress in some countries, but not for enhancing lactation. In the U.S., it has not been approved U.S., it has not been approved for any use. According to FDA, women are purchasing the drug from compounding pharmacies and from foreign sources over the Internet.