drug-rehab-clinic.com

Breakthrough For Heroin Addiction Treatment

dpi — Tue, 29 May 2007 05:24:49 +0000

University of Adelaide researchers have made a breakthrough in the treatment of heroin addiction which could improve 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 for individual heroin addicts.

The genetic discovery reveals why some people are 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 program due to the severe withdrawal symptoms.

“Individualised dosing may decrease the incidence of withdrawal symptoms in some people and therefore encourage them to continue with the methadone treatment.”

An estimated 10 million people worldwide are heroin dependent, including 74,000 Australians, incurring enormous health, social and economic costs.

The pharmacology study was conducted collaboratively as part of Dr Coller’s postdoctoral and Daniel Barratt’s PhD studies, supervised by Professor Andrew Somogyi, with the assistance of Karianne Dahlen and Morten Loennechen, Masters of Science students from Denmark. The results have been published in the December issue of the journal Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
The latest Alcohol News & Addiction News & Illegal Drugs News articles published daily. Includes news on alcoholism, consumption of narcotics (including marijuana, crack cocaine, LSD, heroin, crystal meth) including statistics, treatments, dangers and how the brain becomes addicted.

Using Methadone To Reduce The Withdrawal Symptoms In Heroin Addicts

dpi — Sat, 19 May 2007 07:56:04 +0000

As a narcotic analgesic, Methadone is a synthetic pain reliever used to treat various conditions and relieve pain, as well as treating the addiction of heroin in users. Methadone is comparable to the characteristics and effects of morphine; in fact, it is extremely similar in the way it acts, as well. The major difference is that Methadone is introduced gradually and its action is mild upon onset. This prevents the patient from feeling euphoric or high when taking the medication.

The dosage will be determined based on various aspects including their tolerance level and their weight. For example, as the patient’s cravings for heroin decreases the dosage of Methadone is decreased as well. However, even though Methadone is used to treat addictions, some addicts choose to use the drug as a way to get their fix. As a result, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has defined Methadone as a Schedule II drug.

There are three forms of Methadone, injection, tablets, and oral solutions. It is made with the active ingredient called Methadone hydrochloride. Dosage is set again by weight and addiction to heroin, however, no person should exceed the maximum daily recommendation of 100 milligrams. The drug is used to curb the effects of withdrawal symptoms that occur when a user quits using heroin.

There are several side effects that can come with using Methadone. It is important that your physician monitors the use of Methadone closely and that any changes be reported immediately to him or her for evaluation. Some short-term side effects of this drug could include vomiting, restlessness, slowed breathing, nausea, pupil contraction, itchy skin, constipation, severe sweating, sexual dysfunction, and even death.

Methadone could also have long-term use side effects that include respiration or lung problems. Women could also have specific side effects that may lead to lapsing menstrual cycles or changes. Furthermore, women could experience complications in pregnancy if the dosage levels are reduced while the woman is pregnant.

In general, the risks of these side effects can be reduced by keeping in close contact with a physician and having them monitor the use. Illegal uses of Methadone have been identified as causes for death among abusers. Because people have no real idea of the effects of Methadone, overdosing by abusers is on the rise. If not carefully monitored by a physician a Methadone patient could become addicted to the drug, which would lead to tolerance and addiction. This would all subsequently lead to withdrawal symptoms when the dose is decreased or stopped. Be sure to keep all appointments with your doctor, while taking Methadone and report any changes immediately.

Disclaimer - The information presented here should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information about Methadone.

By: Heather Colman -

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Heroin Abuse: An Increasingly Serious Problem In The Usa

dpi — Tue, 15 May 2007 05:13:44 +0000

The use of heroin is becoming an increasingly serious problem that is affecting many across the United States. The drug possesses highly addicting characteristics that come from injecting, snorting, or smoking the illegal substance. A common misconception associated with heroin is that snorting or smoking the drug holds less of a chance of becoming addicted. Heroin comes from morphine, which is extracted from the seedpod of a poppy plant. The white or brown powder, which has evolved over time, is sometimes referred to by many different street names, such as “junk,” “smack,” or “H.”

Effects of Heroin AbuseWhen it comes to heroin abuse, users encounter both short-term and long-term effects associated with the drug. After a single dose, short-term effects appear soon after and fade within a few hours. After repeated use of heroin, long-term effects begin to settle in, where an individual may suffer from collapsed veins, a heart infection, liver disease, and cellulitis. A user may also develop poor health and a weakened immune system, which could lead to a variety of complications. A fatal overdose may occur, as well as contracting an array of diseases, such as HIV/AIDS from infected needles, and hepatitis. Depending on the kind of heroin used, blood vessels may become clogged, infections arise, or pulmonary reactions surface.

Getting Help for Heroin Addiction

Since serious withdrawal symptoms are associated with stopping the use of heroin, many users are reluctant to face these difficulties. A doctor may prescribe a synthetic opiate, such as methadone, to lessen the craving for the drug, as well as help with some of the withdrawal symptoms. A wide range of treatments are used to help individuals overcome their heroin addiction, including other forms of medication and therapy that taps into behavioral responses that explores the personal dependency or longing for the drug.

An array of support systems also adds to the success rate of recovering heroin addicts. The first step towards getting assistance for a heroin addiction is to ask for or accept help. One can turn to a family member, friend, doctor, or priest, who can then lead the way to the multitude of available services, including both inpatient and outpatient treatment options.

By: Gabriel Adams -

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The author would like you to visit Heroin Addiction And Dependency | Recovery and Relapse Prevention for Heroin and Sitemap.

Heroin and Opiates

dpi — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 04:22:04 +0000

Opiates are derived from a sap taken from a seed pod of the plant “papaver somniferum”. (The scale = centimeters)

Brand / Generic Names
Raw Opium, Opium, Codeine, Morphine, Heroin, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid), Oxycodone (Percodan), Oxymorphone (Numorphan), Hydrocodone (Vicodin), Meperidine (Demerol), Fentanyl, Methadone (Dolophine), Darvon, Talwin.

Street Names
Smack, Horse, Junk, “H”, Hard Stuff, Shit, Mexican Brown, China White, Chiva, Goma, Gumball, Schoolboy, Downtown, Dolls, Dollies, Drug Store Heroin, Miss Emma, Morf, “M”, Morpho, Big H, Black Tar, Boy, Brown Sugar, Crown Crap, Doogie, Hairy, Harry, Hazel, Henry, George Smack, Him, Horse Radish, Joy Powder, Mud, Muzzle, Scag, Schmeck, Smeck, Tecata, White Lady.

Possible Effects of Opiates
General effects of narcotic analgesics include: sedation, slowed reflexes, raspy speech, sluggish “rubber-like” movements, slowed breathing, cold skin, and possible vomiting. However, as a user continues to abuse narcotic analgesics he or she will build a tolerance to the drug, therefore causing the effects to diminish. Heroin, a very strong narcotic depressant, completely destroys the users ability to reason. Its synthetic form, known as “designer drug” has been proven to be even more deadly and addictive. If the abuser wishes to maintain the same effect, he or she will have to take steadily larger doses as the tolerance develops.
Heroin users generally experience certain psychological effects immediately after injection. These include a feeling of euphoria: relief from withdrawal symptoms: and, relief from pain. Physical effects, if they are evident at all, typically will become evident after 15-30 minutes. Physical effects may not be evident if the user is tolerant and has taken a normal dose. With new users, the physical effects include: nodding off, poor motor coordination, depressed reflexes, and slow breathing.
If a user is addicted to opiates he or she will suffer withdrawal symptoms if they don’t receive another dose, or “fix”, before the drug is completely out of their system. Withdrawal effects can be chills, aches of the muscles and joints, nausea and insomnia. These symptoms normally start 4-6 hours after the last dosage of the drug. The withdrawal signs and symptoms intensify from 14-24 hours following the injection, and may be accompanied by gooseflesh, slight tremors, loss of appetite and dilation of the pupils. Approximately 24-36 hours since the last “fix”, the addict experiences insomnia, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, depression and hot/cold flashes. Withdrawal signs and symptoms generally reach their peak after 2-3 days. At this point, the addict usually experiences muscular and abdominal cramps, elevated temperature and severe tremors and twitching. This twitching, especially of the legs, is referred to in the expression “kickin’ the habit”. The addict is very nauseated at this time, may gag and vomit repeatedly, and may lose 10-15 pounds within 24 hours.
Signs of an overdose of narcotic analgesics are depress respiration, slow and shallow breathing, clammy skin, convulsions, possible coma and death.

Heroin Addiction

dpi — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 03:52:37 +0000

Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug. It is both the most abused and the most rapidly acting of the opiates. Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of certain varieties of poppy plants. It is typically sold as a white or brownish powder or as the black sticky substance known on the streets as “black tar heroin.” Although purer heroin is becoming more common, most street heroin is “cut” with other drugs or with substances such as sugar, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. Street heroin can also be cut with strychnine or other poisons. Because heroin abusers do not know the actual strength of the drug or its true contents, they are at risk of overdose or death. Heroin also poses special problems because of the transmission of HIV and other diseases that can occur from sharing needles or other injection equipment.

What is the scope of heroin
use in the United States?

According to the 1998 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, which may actually underestimate illicit opiate (heroin) use, an estimated 2.4 million people had used heroin at some time in their lives, and nearly 130,000 of them reported using it within the month preceding the survey. The survey report estimates that there were 81,000 new heroin users in 1997. A large proportion of these recent new users were smoking, snorting, or sniffing heroin, and most (87 percent) were under age 26. In 1992, only 61 percent were younger than 26.

The 1998 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which collects data on drug-related hospital emergency department (ED) episodes from 21 metropolitan areas, estimates that 14 percent of all drug-related ED episodes involved heroin. Even more alarming is the fact that between 1991 and 1996, heroin-related ED episodes more than doubled (from 35,898 to 73,846). Among youths aged 12 to 17, heroin-related episodes nearly quadrupled.

NIDAwhich provides information about the nature and patterns of drug use in 21 cities, reported in its December 1999 publication that heroin was mentioned most often as the primary drug of abuse in drug abuse treatment admissions in Baltimore, Boston, Los Angeles, Newark, New York, and San Francisco