Engelsk titel: Benefits and challenges associated with opioid maintenance treatment
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Författare:
Clausen, Thomas
Email: thomas.clausen@medisin.uio.no
Språk: Nor
Antal referenser: 28
Dokumenttyp:
Översikt
UI-nummer: 14113780
Sammanfattning
High rates of overdose death among persons untreated for their heroin dependence, is an
important argument for introducing opioid maintenance treatments (OMT). In Norway OMT has
expanded since its introduction in 1998 and currently includes more than 7000 patients. This paper
reviews national and international literature focusing on the treatment outcomes; mortality, somatic
morbidity and crime.
A more than 50 % reduction in overdose mortality, drug-related somatic morbidity and crime has
been observed among patients in OMT, compared with being outside of OMT. However methadone-
related deaths have increased by 50 % during 2009-2012, although the number of methadone
patients has not increased. Most methadone-related deaths do occur among persons outside of OMT.
Adequate OMT provision to reach the majority of the target population will yield major beneficial
outcomes to the society and affected persons in terms of reduced mortality, morbidity and crime.
Finding the right balance between treatment availability and control with the potentially lethal OMT-
medications remains a challenge. Improved strategies to reduce methadone-diversion is called for.