UI - 000230

AU - Tennant FS Jr.

AU - Russell BA

AU - Casas SK

AU - Bleich RN

TI - Heroin detoxification. A comparison of propoxyphene and methadone

AB - AB - Propoxyphene napsylate and methadone hydrochloride were each administered under double-

blind conditions to 36 outpatients for 21- day heroin detoxification. The initial dosage was 24 mg/day for

methadone hydrochloride and 800 mg/day for propoxyphene napsylate. At these dosages, methadone more

effectively suppressed the opiate- withdrawal syndrome, and patients remained in treatment longer in the

methadone group (P greater than .05). In regard to heroin abstinence, however, results were not statistically

significant in either group, as indicated by the number of patients whose urine was positive for morphine on

admission and became negative during treatment, and the number who had morphine-negative urine at the

conclusion of 21-day treatment. A one-month follow-up of patients showed that more patients given

methadone had entered long-term medical maintenance while more patients given propoxyphene were

heroin-abstinent. This study indicates that 21-day heroin detoxification, regardless of chemotherapeutic

agent, yields a low rate of heroin abstinence UI - 75153849

SO - JAMA 1975;232:1019-1022