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Treating cocaine abusing methadone maintenance patients with desipramine.
T Kosten1, F Gawin, B Schumann
1Substance Abuse Treatment Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center.
NIDA Research Monograph
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Desipramine medication significantly reduced cocaine craving and use among patients in methadone maintenance treatment. This finding offers a potential new treatment avenue for individuals struggling with co-occurring stimulant use disorders.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Psychopharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- Intravenous cocaine use presents significant health risks, including potential Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) transmission.
- Co-occurring cocaine abuse is a major challenge for patients undergoing methadone maintenance therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of desipramine in reducing cocaine craving and use.
- To evaluate desipramine as a potential adjunct treatment for methadone patients with cocaine use disorder.
Main Methods:
- An eight-week open-label trial was conducted.
- Eight patients receiving methadone maintenance and abusing cocaine were treated with desipramine.
- A control group of eight patients received only methadone.
Main Results:
- Desipramine treatment was associated with reduced cocaine craving.
- Desipramine treatment led to decreased cocaine use in the study group.
- Comparison was made against a control group receiving only methadone.
Conclusions:
- Desipramine shows promise in mitigating cocaine use and craving in methadone-maintained patients.
- This study suggests desipramine as a viable pharmacological intervention for co-occurring cocaine use disorder in this population.