Antagonist-agonist combinations as therapies for heroin addiction: back to the future?
Psychopharmacology is a powerful approach to the treatment of many psychiatric disorders. In this article I discuss the conceptual and practical issues in relation to the use of mu opioid receptor agonist, antagonist and partial agonist drugs in the treatment of opioid addiction, as this is one therapeutic area where all three types of agents are currently available. The choice of pharmacological agent is largely determined by patient profile, existence of ongoing drug misuse, and the kinetics of the drugs available. These principles, however, can be applied to other disorders as and when other pharmacological approaches become refined in these areas.
Division of Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK. d.nutt@imperial.ac.uk
David J
DJ
Nutt
D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009294:Narcotics; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu