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Heroin

Introduction

Heroin addiction, is a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive substance seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. When your body has become dependent on heroin, a number of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms will arise when the drug hasn’t been used for a certain amount of time.

Risk Factors

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Signs and symptoms

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Diagnostic criteria

Features include:

• Myalgia
• Gooseflesh
• Diarrhoea
• Rhinorrhoea
• lacrimation
• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Sweating
• Yawning
• Abdominal cramping
• Dilated pupils
• Nausea and Vomiting

Investigations

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Managemet

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  • Non-pharmacological

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  • Pharmacological

    • Methadone (PO) 30mg daily as minimum dose, up to 120mg daily max. dose for 1 to 2 years or more.

    OR

    • Buprenorphine (Sublingual) 2mg daily as minimum dose, up to 8mg daily max. dose for 1 to 2 years.

    OR

    • Naltrexone (PO) 25mg daily as minimum dose, up to 50mg daily as max. dose for 6 months.

    Symptomatic Treatment

    • Diazepam 5–20 mg (PO) once daily or in divided doses only as inpatient, taper off over 5–7 days 6
    OR
    • Promethazine 50mg (PO) once daily at sleeping time
    OR
    • Chlorpromazine 50–00mg (PO) once daily at sleeping time

    For abdominal cramps give:

    • Hyoscine butyl bromide 20 mg (O) up to 3 times daily as required
    OR
    • Diclofenac tablets 50mg (O) 8hourly

    For diarrhoea give:

    • Loperamide 4 mg (O) immediately, then 2 mg after each loose stool

Prevention

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Updated on,

20 Novemba 2020 08:16:56

References

    1. STG
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