37520
document
Levels of opioid physical dependence in heroin addicts . The levels of opioid physical dependence in a group of long-term heroin addicts were ascertained by measuring the severity of the opioid withdrawal syndrome before and after pharmacological challenge with either 0.4 mg naloxone or placebo . Prior to challenge , patients manifested some subjective symptoms but few objective signs of opioid withdrawal . Patients who received placebo ( n = 18 ) showed a significant increase in the mean score on one of three rating scales used to assess opioid withdrawal . Patients who received naloxone ( n = 58 ) showed significant increases in mean scores on all three rating scales , but this was due primarily to increases observed in a minority of patients . Sixty-one percent of patients failed to manifest clinically significant changes in subjective symptoms , and 74 % of patients failed to manifest clinically significant changes in objective signs of opioid withdrawal following naloxone administration . The results suggest that a substantial subgroup of heroin addicts are able to use opioids regularly while maintaining relatively low levels of physical dependence .
37521
Intervention_Pharmacological
naloxone
37522
Intervention_Control
placebo
37523
Intervention_Control
placebo
37524
Intervention_Pharmacological
naloxone
37525
Intervention_Pharmacological
naloxone
37526
Outcome_Physical
opioid withdrawal syndrome
37527
Outcome_Mental
subjective symptoms
37528
Outcome_Mental
subjective symptoms
37529
Outcome_Physical
objective signs of opioid withdrawal
37530
Participant_Condition
opioid physical dependence
37531
Participant_Condition
heroin addicts
37532
Participant_Condition
heroin addicts
37533
Participant_Sample-size
18
37534
Participant_Sample-size
58