Heroin is a highly addictive drug that is synthesized from morphine--a naturally occurring substance from the Papaver somniferum plant. Heroin is usually injected by users, and thus carries an increased risk of HIV transmission between users. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that methadone detox and maintenance aims to reduce this risky behavior while alleviating the discomfort of heroin withdrawal.
Similarities to Heroin
The "Handbook of Psychiatric Drugs" explains that methadone is pharmacologically similar to heroin because it activates the same cellular components, namely the mu-opioid receptor. However, unlike heroin, whose effects last only a few hours, methadone is eliminated from much more slowly from the body.
Administering Methadone
Methadone detoxification is typically done on an inpatient basis, notes the "Handbook of Psychiatric Drugs." Clinics that are properly licensed by the state may also administer methadone on an outpatient basis for methadone maintenance therapy.
Effectiveness of Treatment
The "Clinical Manual of Addiction Psychopharmacology" explains that methadone effectively provides some relief from the discomfort of withdrawal, but full avoidance of symptoms should not be expected. Heroin detoxification typically takes from five to 10 days, after which relapse rates are high for patients who do not remain in methadone maintenance therapy.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Methadone Maintenance Facts
- "Handbook of Psychiatric Drugs"; Jeffrey A. Lieberman and Allan Tasman; 2006
- "Clinical Manual of Addiction Psychopharmacology"; Henry R. Kranzler, M.D. and Domenic A. Ciraulo, M.D.; 2005
