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A Randomized, Placebo‐controlled trial of Buspirone for the Treatment of Anxiety in Opioid‐dependent Individuals
Author(s) -
McRae Aimee L.,
Sonne Susan C.,
Brady Kathleen T.,
Durkalski Valerie,
Palesch Yuko
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the american journal on addictions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.997
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-0391
pISSN - 1055-0496
DOI - 10.1080/10550490490265325
Subject(s) - buspirone , anxiety , randomized controlled trial , placebo , opioid , psychology , medicine , clinical psychology , anesthesia , psychiatry , alternative medicine , receptor , pathology , agonist
Anxiety symptoms are common among opioid‐dependent individuals. Buspirone, a nonbenzodiazepine anxiolytic, has been used successfully for the treatment of anxiety in alcoholic patients. Its efficacy in opioid‐dependent patients has not been previously examined. We conducted a twelve‐week, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial of buspirone in 36 subjects receiving methadone‐maintenance treatment who presented with anxiety symptoms. Measures of anxiety, depression, and substance use were obtained repeatedly during treatment. Buspirone treatment did not significantly reduce anxiety symptoms in opioid‐dependent patients. However, buspirone treatment was associated with trends toward reduction in depression scale scores and a slower return to substance use.