title: [Clonidine for the treatment of heroin withdrawal syndrome].
abstract: In an open study of 50 patients with heroin addiction, clonidine was efficacious by mouth in the treatment of acute heroin-withdrawal syndrome. Mean administration of clonidine (on an "as-needed" basis) was 5 days (maximum 7 days), whilst the mean daily dosage ranged from 0.112 mg to 0.468 mg, the maximum requirement occurring on day 2 of withdrawal and sinking thereafter. Since insomnia was not influenced by clonidine, we offered 100 mg doxepine and/or 10 mg nitrazepam (the latter only until day 4 of treatment). Under this medication a sudden, dramatic decrease in blood pressure was not seen, mean blood pressure and pulse rate were not markedly altered; this may, perhaps, be a consequence of the blocking effect of doxepine on the peripheral hypotensive actions of clonidine. Of the 9 drop-outs from treatment, five (10% of the total 50) were certainly directly attributable to the lack of response to clonidine, representing a failure of therapy in 10% cases at least.
mesh_terms: D015078:2-Hydroxyphenethylamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003000:Clonidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004316:Doxepin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D003932:Heroin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D009567:Nitrazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009655:Octopamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014717:Vertigo / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D009655:Octopamine; D004316:Doxepin; D003932:Heroin; D015078:2-Hydroxyphenethylamine; D009567:Nitrazepam; C005310:norfenefrine; D003000:Clonidine
vernacular_title: Clonidin zur Behandlung des Heroinentzugssyndroms.