Methadone Maintenance
Southwestern Assemblies of God University
School of Distance Education
Methadone Treatment Programs are Effective in Stopping Heroin Use
A Paper Presented to
Professor Loyd Uglow, Ph.D
In Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements for the Course
THE 5113 Research Literature and Technology
Sharon Pete
November 28, 2012
THESIS STATEMENT: To investigate Methadone maintenance is found to be more effective in treating heroin addiction than 180 day detoxification. The objective is how methadone maintenance, a widely used but controversial method of weaning heroin addicts off the drug—with counseling has psychosocially enriched 180 day methadone assisted detoxification.
OUTLINE
I. INTRODUCTION
A. History of Heroin
B. History of withdrawals
II. How Methadone is used to treat Heroin?
III. Research Findings
IV. CONCLUSION
V. Work Cited
Methadone Treatment Programs are Effective in Stopping Heroin Use
Substitution treatment or maintenance pharmacotherapy programs using methadone are today the most sought after and effective form of treatment for opiate addiction and dependence. Because methadone is a long-acting opiate whose dosage can be stabilized, it is well suited for daily administration and has proven effective in the elimination of narcotic craving, a driving force behind continued heroin use. And, because it can be administered orally, methadone dramatically reduces heroin injecting frequency and, with it, associated risks for HIV and other blood-borne pathogens.
Methadone Treatment Effectiveness The clinical effectiveness of methadone is most commonly measured by its retention of patients in care and by reductions in heroin use as well as improvements in social outcomes, for example, employment, family integration, and reduced arrests and incarceration for criminal offenses [00]. Both randomized trials and observational studies [5,48-59] have determined that methadone maintenance retains patients at levels two to
School of Distance Education
Methadone Treatment Programs are Effective in Stopping Heroin Use
A Paper Presented to
Professor Loyd Uglow, Ph.D
In Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements for the Course
THE 5113 Research Literature and Technology
Sharon Pete
November 28, 2012
THESIS STATEMENT: To investigate Methadone maintenance is found to be more effective in treating heroin addiction than 180 day detoxification. The objective is how methadone maintenance, a widely used but controversial method of weaning heroin addicts off the drug—with counseling has psychosocially enriched 180 day methadone assisted detoxification.
OUTLINE
I. INTRODUCTION
A. History of Heroin
B. History of withdrawals
II. How Methadone is used to treat Heroin?
III. Research Findings
IV. CONCLUSION
V. Work Cited
Methadone Treatment Programs are Effective in Stopping Heroin Use
Substitution treatment or maintenance pharmacotherapy programs using methadone are today the most sought after and effective form of treatment for opiate addiction and dependence. Because methadone is a long-acting opiate whose dosage can be stabilized, it is well suited for daily administration and has proven effective in the elimination of narcotic craving, a driving force behind continued heroin use. And, because it can be administered orally, methadone dramatically reduces heroin injecting frequency and, with it, associated risks for HIV and other blood-borne pathogens.
Methadone Treatment Effectiveness The clinical effectiveness of methadone is most commonly measured by its retention of patients in care and by reductions in heroin use as well as improvements in social outcomes, for example, employment, family integration, and reduced arrests and incarceration for criminal offenses [00]. Both randomized trials and observational studies [5,48-59] have determined that methadone maintenance retains patients at levels two to
Cited: Gowing L, Farrell M, Bornemann R, Ali R. Substitution treatment of injecting opioid users for prevention of HIV infection. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 4, 2004. Hubbard RL, Marsden ME, Rachal JV, Harwood HJ, Cavanaugh ER, Ginzburg HM. Drug Abuse Treatment: A National Study of Effectiveness. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1989. Mattick RP, Breen C, Kimber J, Davoli M. Methadone maintenance therapy versus no opioid replacement therapy for opioid dependence. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 2, 2003. Sells SB, Simpson DD (eds.). The Effectiveness of Drug Abuse Treatment. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger, 1976.