Methadone is an effective treatment for heroin detoxification. The Harvard Medical School notes that a single dose of heroin is effective for a mere four to six hours, but the withdrawal syndrome can last a full week. Methadone helps to ease the discomfort of withdrawal from heroin.
Heroin Withdrawal
The withdrawal symptoms experienced by patients detoxing from heroin are many. The "Clinical Manual of Addiction Psychopharmacology" lists increased heart rate, muscle spasms/tremors, physical pain and goose flesh among the discomforts of heroin withdrawal. Methadone interacts with neurons in a way similar to heroin, lessening the severity of withdrawal.
Characteristics of Methadone
Methadone binds to the same cellular receptor, called mu, that heroin and other addictive opioid drugs bind to. Heroin, however, is quickly metabolized such that the effects of the drug are short-lived. Because of this, addicts need to continually re-dose themselves in order to avoid withdrawal. Methadone, however is metabolized much more slowly, with a single dose lasting 24 to 36 hours, says Harvard Medical School.
Methadone Maintenance Therapy
After detoxification from heroin, the risk of relapse is great, says the "Handbook of Psychiatric Drugs." For this reason, it is advisable for recovering heroin addicts to take part in a maintenance program. These programs are licensed in the U.S. by the individual states and administer regular doses of methadone in order to prevent users from returning to injectable drug use, which contributes to the spread of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C.
References
- Harvard Medical School: Treating Opiate Addiction
- "Clinical Manual of Addiction Psychopharmacology"; Henry R. Kranzler, M.D. and Domenic A. Ciraulo, M.D.; 2005
