Premium
Buphrenorphine: Detoxification After Maintenance Treatment
Author(s) -
Quigley Allan J.,
Seow Simon S.W.,
Ilett K.F.,
Dusci L.,
Swensen G.,
HarrisonStewart A.,
Rappeport L.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
australian drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0819-5331
DOI - 10.1080/09595238780000021
Subject(s) - buprenorphine , detoxification (alternative medicine) , opiate , medicine , heroin , methadone , urine , clonidine , anesthesia , opioid , drug , pharmacology , alternative medicine , receptor , pathology
Buprenorphine, a partial opiate agonist, has shown promise as a new drug for the maintenance, treatment and detoxification of heroin addictions. In this double blind study 15 outpatient heroin addicts were stabilised on sublingual buprenorphine (4mg/day) and then the effects of a 30 day gradual detoxification were assessed. For the first 2 weeks of the study, while taking 4mg of buprenorphine subjects reported symptoms of opiate intoxication and withdrawal, 2–4 and 8–9 hours respectively after each day's dose. During this time 12 of the 15 subjects had one or more opiate positive urine specimens and 48% of all urine specimens were opiate positive. As detoxification progressed subjects reported an earlier onset and a greater number of withdrawal symptoms. In addition they requested symptomatic treatment. The prescription of dextropropoxyphene napsylate (up to 800mg per day) and clonidine hydrochloride (up to 450mcg per day) controlled the subjects' withdrawal discomfort. Of the 6 subjects who completed the detoxification and the two‐week follow‐up period, 5 had one or more opiate positive urine specimens and 57% of all specimens were opiate positive. The study has shown that sublingual buprenorphine is acceptable to outpatient heroin addicts and that a gradual withdrawal of the drug can be undertaken successfully. However, the results suggest that doses greater than 4mg/day will be needed to suppress illicit opiate use.