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[Ambulatory opiate detoxification in primary care]
J A Alvarez Mazariegos1, A González Ferro, M C Bobillo de la Peña
1Centro de Salud Valle-Inclán, Ourense.
Objective:
To present a procedure for opiate detoxication in primary care and to assess results.
Design:
A retrospective analysis of medical records.
Setting:
The Valle-Inclán urban Health Centre, Ourense.
Patients:
The first 58 heroin addicts treated under the standard procedure for detoxication at our centre.
Interventions:
The method of detoxication based on administering decreasing doses of dextropropoxyphene (Deprancol), accompanied by anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs. The patient attended the clinic, and accompanied by a responsible family member. The treatment ended with naloxone induction.
Measurements And Results:
We analysed the social, demographic, toxicological and treatment data, always in relation to the result (positive or negative). 85% of patients were male, with average age 27 and average time of consumption > 4 years, with a daily average of 250 mg per day of heroin (125-1,000 mg). 50% were working or studying, 67% lived in their family of origin. The treatment led to a positive result in 79.3% of cases. The only factors which seemed to be associated with this were: age under 30, staying in their original family and the existence of family support for the patient.
Conclusions:
The procedure developed by our team was effective and would be more so with better choice of patients. It opens up further perspectives for tackling drug dependency from primary care.