Original article
English
R. K. Bhargava
Department of Medicine, University of Garyounis, Benghazi, S.P.L.A .J.
Garyounis Medical Journal Vol. 3, No.2. July 1980:3-8
Abstract
A new method for the management of opioid drug addiction has been described. This needs shorter hospitalization and lesser discomfort for the addict. Fifty cases in which this approach was tried have been included in the present series. The basic principles involved were to keep the patient sedated with chloropromazine so that the agony of the withdrawal symptoms is minimised and at the same time the patient is a little cooperative to take at least the fluids. Antidepressent drug imipramine was used to avoid the depressive and suicidal tendencies. Patients were encouraged to take their meals. Subcutaneous insulin was given to increase their appetite along with I.V. glucose drips. Most of these patients were discharged from the hospital within a week of their admission and both their morale and physique were found to be good at the time of their discharge. Out of the 50 cases studied in this series only 46 could be followed for 1 year and 4 were lost for the follow up. Out of these 46 patients, 7 started taking the opioid drugs again but 39 were free of addiction and leading normal life after 1 year. Before initiating this new method for the management of opioid drug addiction, 25 cases were observed on the usual methadone substitution therapy and the later group served as a control for the former. The comparison between these two methods shows a definite superiority of the new method over the usual methadone substitution.
Keywords: Drug Abuse and Drug Addiction and a New Method for the Management of Opioid Drug Addiction
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