Engelsk titel: Treatment of young drug addicts with naltrexone
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Författare:
Waal H
;
Aamodt Ö
;
Olsen H
Email: helge.waal@psykiatri.uio.no
Språk: Nor
Antal referenser: 9
Dokumenttyp:
Artikel
UI-nummer: 03071927
Sammanfattning
BACKGROUND : The study explores the use of naltrexone as an adjuvant therapy for psychosocial treatment in a unit for young heroin addicts with frequent relapses.
MATERIAL AND METHOD : Naltrexone was introduced through discussions in the therapeutic community. 16 patients elected to participate in a six-month trial. Side effects were recorded daily, then weekly, and patient reactions by weekly self-ratings. At end point patient and counsellor independently scored estimated utility. The group was followed up at four years.
RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION : Staff and patients developed an increasing degree of consensus during the project. Naltrexone is a useful adjuvant therapy. Several short-term goals were reached; side effects were minimal. Four out of 16 patients completed the full six-month treatment. 11 patients judged the use of naltrexone as somewhat or very positive. Therapists judged naltrexone to be beneficiary for 10. At four years follow up, six patients were rehabilitated without illegal substance use and two were substantially improved. Four of these were, however, on methadone maintenance. Naltrexone is useful as an adjuvant therapy to increase therapeutic potency in comprehensive therapeutic units for heroin addicts. The long-term effects are limited. Therapeutic units for heroin addicts should integrate both agonists and antagonists in their psychosocial programs.