Sequential Combined Treatment of Heroin Addicted Patients in Portugal with Naltrexone and Family Therapy

Abstract

Estimates point to the existence of 60,000 heroin-addicted patients in Portugal. In this paper we present a study using a methodology, called sequential combined treatment, based on the following steps: (a) detoxification; (b) family assessment; (c) naltrexone, always administered to the patient by his parents; (d) family intervention and restructuring. Evaluation procedure included sociodemographic data, patient functioning, psychopathological aspects, depression, HIV check and urine sample analysis. Sixty-three heroin-abusing patients consecutively entering the program were studied. 70% of the patients adhered to the method and achieved 35.5 weeks of abstinence. After 1 year of treatment, 40% were still abstinent. Patient functioning and psychopathology also showed considerable improvement. Despite these encouraging results, further studies are necessary to evaluate this method within different groups of heroin addicts.

An Evaluation of the Therapeutic Programme Conducted by the Southern Regional Alcohol-Abuse Treatment Centre: Study on the Programme’s Results One Year after Discharge from Inpatient Care

“…The outpatient phases of the medical treatment (before and after the inpatient stay) emphasise the use of a pragmatic methodology called the 'Combined and Stepped Treatment of Chemical Addicts' [14,15]. This method is based on medical consultations conducted at intervals that tend to slightly exceed 1 month.…”

“…The consultations are short and very much centred on a family approach, in which a family member takes co-responsibility for the treatment. The authors have been developing this type of treatment for a number of years now -particularly in the heroin-addiction area -with very encouraging results [14,15].…”

Enkele aspecten van detoxificatie van opiaten

“…Neto (1997) vat zestien studies samen waarbij in programma's een retentieduur wordt gevonden van drie tot 35 weken. In een studie waarin de naltrexonbehandeling wordt vergeleken met de combinatie naltrexon en counseling blijkt de retentie in de eerste groep 33% en in de laatste 77% (Resnick, Schuyten-Resnick & Washton, 1979).…”

Editorial: Craving and Relapse Prevention

“…The remaining papers in this special issue are focussed on the clincial relevance of craving in alcoholics [13] and opiate addicts [14,15]. The paper by de Vos et al [14] clearly demonstrates that subjective craving in metha done maintenance patients is not related to actual with drawal, and that craving is empirically distinct from gen eral distress.…”

“…The paper by de Vos et al [14] clearly demonstrates that subjective craving in metha done maintenance patients is not related to actual with drawal, and that craving is empirically distinct from gen eral distress. The papers by Geerlings et al [13] and Neto et al [15] show that new pharmacological interventions, which are considered to reduce or even to eliminate crav ing, are effective in the prevention of relapse. Given the lack of validated measures of subjective craving, it does not come as a surprise that these papers do not provide data on (the reduction of) craving and the role of craving in the process leading to abstinence in pharmacologically treated drug addicts.…”