Doxepin as adjunctive therapy for depressed methadone maintenance patients: a double-blind study

Depression and anxiety can contribute to both drug dependence and reduced retention rates in methadone maintenance programs. In a 5-week double-blind study, the effectiveness of doxepin as an adjunctive treatment was compared to placebo in 46 depressed/anxious patients attending a methadone maintenance program. Doxepin was superior to placebo on Clinical Global Impressions and several factors of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Profile of Mood States. No clinically significant potentiation of side effects was observed with the combined administration of doxepin and methadone.