Adjunctive desipramine in the treatment of cocaine abusing schizophrenics.
Because schizophrenic patients have a lifetime prevalence rate for cocaine abuse between 15 and 50 percent, the use of adjunctive pharmacotherapy should be considered in cocaine-abuse treatment programs. This 12-week, open-label outpatient study compares 12 cocaine-abusing schizophrenic patients treated with desipramine (DMI) 100 to 150 mg and antipsychotic agents to 15 patients treated with only antipsychotic agents (no DMI). All 27 patients participated in a Dual Diagnosis Relapse Prevention (DDRP) program, which integrates traditional substance-abuse relapse prevention and psychiatric social skills training. The DMI group was more likely to complete the study (83% vs. 60%, odds ratio = 3.3, NS) and had fewer cocaine-positive urines during the last 6 weeks (20% vs. 50%, odds ratio = 4.0, p < .01). In the context of a specialized dual diagnosis treatment program, patients receiving DMI substantially decreased cocaine usage and had improved psychiatric symptoms.
Ziedonis
D
D
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Richardson
T
T
Lee
E
E
Petrakis
I
I
Kosten
T
T
D000328:Adult; D003042:Cocaine; D003891:Desipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
D003042:Cocaine; D003891:Desipramine