Breakthrough For Heroin Addiction Treatment
University of Adelaide researchers have made a breakthrough in the treatment of heroin addiction which could improve addiction treatment success rates for millions of heroin users around the world.
Researchers in the Discipline of Pharmacology have discovered a genetic variation that may help determine the most effective methadone dosage levels to detox heroin addicts.
The discovery reveals why some people’s genetic makeup makes them either less efficient or more effective in distributing drugs throughout their body to the central nervous system.
Lead researcher Dr Janet Coller says accurate dosing of methadone is essential to successfully treat drug addicts because up to 62% fail to remain in the methadone addiction treatment program due to the severe methadone withdrawal symptoms.
“Individualized dosing may decrease the incidence of heroin withdrawal symptoms in some people and therefore encourage them to continue with the methadone detox treatment.”
An estimated 10 million people worldwide are heroin dependent, including 74,000 Australians, incurring enormous health, social and economic costs.
“More than 40,000 people are undergoing methadone treatment in Australia and only 38% of them are staying in the addiction treatment program at the moment. Most drop out at the start of the addiction treatment when the withdrawal effects are severe,” Dr Coller says.
This breakthrough will allow individuals undergoing the methadone treatment program to be tested for the genetic variation to determine optimal treatment doses.
Call 1-800-99-DETOX for an effective methadone detox program for opiate addiction