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A Procedure to Study Stress-Induced Relapse of Heroin Seeking after Punishment-Imposed Abstinence
Published on: March 23, 2022
Heroin anticraving medications: a systematic review
Ayman Fareed1, Sreedevi Vayalapalli, Jennifer Casarella
1Department of Psychiatry, Emory University, School of Medicine/Atlanta VA Medical center, Decatur, GA 30033, USA. ayman.fareed@va.gov
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
|October 20, 2010
Summary
Buprenorphine, at doses over 8 mg daily, shows promise as an alternative medication for managing heroin craving. Further research is needed to compare its effectiveness against methadone.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Heroin craving is a significant factor in relapse and treatment non-adherence.
- Methadone is the established standard medication for managing heroin craving.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alternative medications to methadone for treating heroin craving.
- To identify anti-craving properties of non-methadone medications.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 12 articles meeting inclusion criteria.
- Included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies (NRSs).
- Articles assessed medication effects on subjective and/or objective opiate craving.
Main Results:
- Buprenorphine emerged as a promising alternative to methadone.
- Doses of buprenorphine above 8 mg daily appear effective for managing opiate craving.
- Buprenorphine is practical for patients in long-term opioid maintenance treatment.
Conclusions:
- High-dose buprenorphine (over 8 mg daily) is a viable treatment option for opiate craving.
- More rigorous research is required to confirm buprenorphine's efficacy for heroin craving.
- Direct comparative studies between buprenorphine and methadone are needed.
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