[High-dose methadone detoxification in a hospital unit. Clinical experience]

The increase in opiate addicts in treatment with methadone, coupled with improved survival of HIV patients, has meant an increase in the demand for detoxification from this substance in our environment. It is common practice in hospital detoxification units to request a maximum dose of methadone (around 40 mg) on beginning detoxification treatment. However this is not always possible, due to the time needed for a gradual decrease for outpatients making daily visits to the methadone dispensing centres, due to the appearance of withdrawal symptoms, or because the patient starts out from very high doses of methadone. Reported here is an experience with 22 inpatients who over the last two years underwent detoxification from methadone without requesting from their treatment centres a maximum-limit dose at the start of their treatment. During the detoxification they are given treatment with clonidine and benzodiazepines (dosage being adjusted according to concomitant use of alcohol, benzodiazepines and cocaine) and non-opiate-based painkillers. On the seventh day they are given 50 mg of naltrexone. Of these addicts, 21 completed the detoxification adequately.