title: A naturalistic study of home detoxification from opiates using lofexidine.
abstract: The study describes the outcome of home detoxification from opiates using lofexidine, a centrally-acting alpha2-adrenergic agonist, in a consecutive series of 28 unselected individuals. Eleven detoxifications (39%) were successful and 17 (61%) unsuccessful. No major medical or psychological problems were reported. Successful outcome was associated with not using heroin, good compliance with a methadone programme and prediction of success by the key worker. Home detoxification using lofexidine appears to be a useful treatment for some opiate-dependent individuals, and is most likely to be successful in those individuals whose drug use is already well-controlled.
authors.affiliation: Wolston Park Hospital, Queensland, Australia. asb@brain.wph.uq.oz.au
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Fleming
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003000:Clonidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence; D006801:Humans; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009294:Narcotics; D003000:Clonidine; D008691:Methadone; C025655:lofexidine