Traditional Chinese medicine-facilitated treatments may relieve anxiety symptoms during drug switching from methadone to buprenorphine/naloxone for treating opioid dependence

This study investigated a 51-year-old married man with a history of heroin dependence who underwent methadone maintenance treatment for 7 years. He received traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-facilitated treatments and switched from methadone to buprenorphine/naloxone. Strong anxiety symptoms were o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ case reports 2017-11, Vol.2017, p.bcr-2017-220815
Main Authors: Yu, Kai-Chiang, Wei, Han-Ting, Yeh, Yuh-Hsiang, Hsu, Chung-Hua
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
AIDS
Anxiety
Anxiety - prevention & control
Anxiety disorders
Asia
Buprenorphine, Naloxone Drug Combination - administration & dosage
Case reports
Chinese
Chinese medicine
Drug Substitution
Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use
Heroin
Humans
Male
Methadone
Methadone - administration & dosage
Middle Aged
Narcotics
Novel Treatment (New Drug/Intervention
Established Drug/Procedure in New Situation)
Opiate Substitution Treatment
Opioid-Related Disorders - drug therapy
Opioid-Related Disorders - psychology
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Summary:This study investigated a 51-year-old married man with a history of heroin dependence who underwent methadone maintenance treatment for 7 years. He received traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-facilitated treatments and switched from methadone to buprenorphine/naloxone. Strong anxiety symptoms were observed during the initial stage; therefore, we prescribed a combination of Chaihu-Shugan-San, Zhi Bai Di Huang and Chin-Gin-Kuan-Ming decoction as the major herbal synergic regimen to relieve the symptoms of opioid withdrawal, anxiety and insomnia. During the treatment course, no precipitating withdrawal syndromes were noted, and the subject was gradually relieved of his anxiety symptoms through continual TCM treatments. In conclusion, TCM is effective in facilitating the switch from methadone to buprenorphine/naloxone and relieving anxiety symptoms. Therefore, focus on TCM-facilitated treatments for heroin dependence should be increased.
ISSN:1757-790X
1757-790X
DOI:10.1136/bcr-2017-220815