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Forest S. Tennant, Jr., MD

Arch Intern Med. 1973;132(2):191-194.

Abstract
Between 1969 and 1971, the nonmedical use of propoxyphene hydrochloride (Darvon) by US Army soldiers stationed in West Germany reached epidemic proportions. The major complications observed were respiratory arrest, psychotic reactions, and physical addiction. In 13 soldiers who died due to overdoses, pulmonary edema was the primary anatomical finding at postmortem examination. Physical addiction by the intravenous route in seven soldiers was limited to a maximum of 12 weeks, because propoxyphene injections have an extremely destructive effect on veins and soft tissues. Thrombophlebitis, abscesses, cellulitis, and severe sclerosis of veins developed so rapidly at the sites of injection that addiction was interrupted. Hemolytic anemia occurred in one propoxyphene addict. Control of the epidemic among soldiers required that US Army medical facilities restrict the prescribing of propoxyphene.

Author Affiliations
Los Angeles

From the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse, US Army, Europe, Heidelberg, Germany. Dr. Tennant is now at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine.

Footnotes
Received for publication March 3, 1972; accepted July 7.

This material has been reviewed by the Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army, and there is no objection to its publication. This review does not imply any endorsement of the opinions advanced or products named.

Reprint requests to Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90024 (Dr. Tennant).

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