A method of brief inpatient opioid detoxification using naloxone is described. Daily injections of naloxone were administered to 20 patients who were dependent on opioids until no physical withdrawal reaction occurred. A reducing regime of clonidine and diazepam was used to treat withdrawal symptoms. Seventy-five percent of patients successfully completed detoxification within 6 days. Withdrawal symptoms were minimal and rapidly declined during treatment. Unlike other techniques using opioid antagonists detoxification with daily naloxone injections requires minimal medical supervision, enables full participation in a daily relapse prevention programme and results in discharge from hospital without medication for symptomatic relief.
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Merrill et al. (1997) studied this question.
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