engleski

Current approaches to the pharmacotherapy of opiate addiction

Partial agonists of neurotransmitter receptors, often called "stabilizers", act somewhere between full receptor aognists and silent receptor antagonist, theoretically boosting defficient but also inhibiting excessive neurotransmitter activity. Pharmacotherapy of opiate dependence, besides traditional substitution with methadone - the opioid mu-receptor full agonist (and possible adjuvant detoxification with opioid antagonist naltrexone) is currently oriented toward partial agonists of opioid receptors. Buprenorphine (Subutex) demonstrates partial mu-receptor agonism and seems a good alternative to methadone substitution in most cases of opiate addiction. Newer derivative of buprenorphine - Suboxone besides buprenorphine contains about 25% of opiate antagonist naloxone which prevents intravenous abuse. Results of recent clinical experience with administration of Subutex in opiate addiction will be presented and indications as well as contraindications for its use will be discussed.

mu-receptor agonist; buprenorphine; opiate addiction

nije evidentirano