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Aftercare on narcotic antagonists: prospects and problems.
The International Journal of the Addictions
|January 1, 1976
Summary
Narcotic antagonist treatment for opiate addiction shows low retention rates. Motivation is key, as the lack of euphoric effects requires significant patient commitment for sustained use.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Multiple treatment failures are common in opiate addiction.
- Narcotic antagonists, such as naltrexone, are used in treatment.
- Aftercare challenges for this population require examination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the problems and prospects of aftercare for opiate-addicted individuals treated with narcotic antagonists.
- To identify patient characteristics associated with treatment success or failure.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 21 patients admitted to the Drug Addiction Research Project.
- Assessment of retention rates and differentiation between completers, noncompleters, and dropouts.
- Evaluation of demographic and psychiatric variables.
Main Results:
- The study observed a 42% retention rate among admitted patients.
- Demographic and psychiatric variables did not differentiate between treatment outcomes.
- The positive effects of antagonist treatment diminished over time in the community.
Conclusions:
- Narcotic antagonists require high patient motivation due to their non-euphoric properties.
- This treatment is suitable for a limited subset of the "hard core" opiate addict population.
- Predicting treatment success based on patient characteristics remains challenging.