[Challenges in the treatment of opioid dependence]

The number of persons using opioids has increased worldwide in the last decade, particularly the use of opioid analgesics in North America and Africa. In Germany, the prevalence of heroin addiction has remained relatively stable.

Narrative review of the literature.

Opioid-assisted maintenance treatment (OMT) with the established substances methadone, levomethadone, slow-release morphine and buprenorphine is recommended as the first-line treatment for heroin dependence. The OMT reduces the use of heroin, mortality and individual suffering and improves the quality of life and physical health. A diamorphine and heroine-assisted treatment is an option for people who do not benefit from conventional OMT. An alternative to the use of diamorphine could be treatment with hydromorphone hydrochloride. The regulations on carrying out maintenance treatment in the Controlled Substances Prescription Act and the guidelines of the Federal Medical Association in Germany have been loosened based on the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example with respect to take-home prescriptions. There is an ongoing intensive discussion on how to deal with the decreasing number of outpatient clinics offering OMT.

The first-line treatment for opioid addiction is opioid-assisted substitution treatment, including diamorphine and heroin-assisted treatment. Long-acting depot medications and implants still play a subordinate role.