Alternative induction and crossover schedules for methadyl acetate.
Various schedules exist for inducting heroin addicts newly admitted to treatment into methadyl acetate maintenance and crossover schedules for the transition from methadone maintenance to methadyl acetate maintenance. A sample of 255 street addicts was randomized to three induction schedules: methadyl acetate three times a week (tiw) with placebos on alternate days; methadyl acetate tiw supplemented with decreasing doses of methadone on alternate days; methadyl acetate six days a week with diminishing doses on three days. Treatment was double-blind for four weeks and single-blind for six. All schedules were considered feasible, but supplementation with methadyl acetate or methadone had no advantage. A sample of 310 patients receiving methadone maintenance was randomized to comparable supplementation groups, except that the group receiving supplementary methadyl acetate received it along with the regular dose. This schedule was not successful. Supplementing with methadone had no advantage.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008692:Methadyl Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010919:Placebos; D011897:Random Allocation; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control
D010919:Placebos; D008692:Methadyl Acetate; D008691:Methadone