Drug and alcohol dependence
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It is possible that admission to hospital of methadone maintenance clients requiring treatment for pain with narcotics may result in an increase in methadone maintenance dose and affect subsequent rehabilitation of the client. The hospital admission itself may modify the subsequent outcome of the client. ⋯ Twenty-five had been admitted to the Surgical Service of Bellevue Hospital, New York City, for a variety of conditions and for periods ranging from 2 to 43 days; twenty-five were not admitted to the Hospital. Irrespective of whether or not large amounts of narcotic analgesics had been added to the maintenance methadone, patients were discharged on the same amounts of maintenance methadone as on admission and had eventual courses and outcomes similar to the control group when followed for a mean period of 20 months.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Sep 1978
ReviewPossible effects of normetabolites on the subjective and reinforcing characteristics of opioids in animals and man.
When an opioid capable of forming active metabolites is administered, the total pharmacology is the result of interactions of the opioid and such metabolites, especially normetabolites. Normetabolites may affect the morphine-like characteristics of certain opioids and thus influence their reinforcement in animals and man. Most opioids, when administered in single doses, are positively reinforcing in addicts. ⋯ Conversely, methadone, the normetabolites of which are inactive, is well accepted during chronic oral administration. Drugs which inhibit N-demethylation will increase the agonist potency of opioids having inactive normetabolites (e.g., methadone) but will decrease the agonist potency of opioids having more potent normetabolites than the parent (e.g., acetylmethadol). The divergent responses of addicts to single doses of opiates as compared with chronic doses indicate that chronic addiction tests in man are needed befored relative abuse liability can be predicted.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Jul 1978
The effects of naloxone on behavior maintained by cocaine and heroin injections in the rhesus monkey.
The effects of repeated administration of naloxone on heroin and cocaine self-administration in non-dependent rhesus monkeys were investigated. Animals lever pressing for intravenous heroin (6 micron/kg) and cocaine (100 or 200 micron/kg) were treated for 7--10 days with naloxone at a fixed dose prior to each session. ⋯ The pattern of responding over the 10-day period of treatment with the higher doses of naloxone was similar to that observed when saline was substituted for heroin. Naloxone was without effect on responding maintained by injections of cocaine.