Opiate detoxification under general anesthesia by large doses of naloxone

For opiate detoxification 6 volunteer opiate addicts were intravenously administered 10 mg naloxone within one hour while under barbiturate anesthesia. During administration of naloxone none of the patients demonstrated significant changes in the hemodynamic parameters of heart rate, mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, peripheral resistance or in the oxygen saturation. After patients awoke from anesthesia, they experienced no or only minimal withdrawal symptoms. Possible explanations for the suppression of withdrawal symptoms are discussed.