Hypercortisolism after opioid discontinuation in rapid detoxification of heroin addicts

• Published in: British Journal of Addiction 1992-08, Vol.87 (8), p.1145-1151
• Main Authors: CAMÍ, J., GILABERT, M., SAN, L., DE LA TORRE, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Circadian Rhythm - drug effects; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Clonidine - therapeutic use; Double-Blind Method; Drug addiction; Drug addictions; Guanfacine - therapeutic use; Heroin - adverse effects; Heroin Dependence - blood; Heroin Dependence - rehabilitation; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Methadone - therapeutic use; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - blood; Toxicology
• ISSN: 0952-0481; 0965-2140; 2056-5178
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1992.tb02001.x

Long‐term opioid consumption can induce hypoadrenalism through impairment of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis. Results of the present study showed that, in heroin addicts, saliva cortisol concentrations varied according to the amount of recently consumed heroin and the time elapsed since the last self‐administration. Hypercortisolism was observed either after abrupt withdrawal of heroin or the last dose of methadone. Post‐detoxification hypercortisolism was still present on day 16 after the last opioid consumption, whereas it was not observed in abstinent addicts for a mean period of 4 months. During detoxification treatment, mean AUC8–24 cortisol in saliva of clonidine or guanfacine‐treated patients was significantly higher than that in methadone‐ treated patients. It may be hypothesized that elevated cortisol levels may account for untoward effects of adrenergic agonist therapy which, in turn, may represent an added risk factor for relapse during detoxification. Further studies are necessary to correlate the severity of withdrawal symptoms to cortisol levels in opioid addicts detoxified with α2‐adrenergic agonist substitution.