Narcotic antagonists
...thdrawn from the narcotic and than given the antagonist on a chronic basis, relapse should not be a problem. If the individual were to try to take heroin after the antagonist was given they would have no effect. With this approach the individual would eventually stop taking heroin, as a result of curing the problem. Naloxone is a short acting narcotic antagonist drug. Naloxone must be taken several times a day to continue regular antagonism. Naltrexone or Trexan is a long-acting antagonist. A 50 mg tablet can antagonize the effects of a large dose of heroin for twenty-four hours and a smaller dose for two days or more and it can therefore be given as infrequently as three times a week. This type of treatment is most successful with highly motivated opioid individuals. Most individuals not ready for treatment become unsuccessful in completing the treatment. Naltrexone is currently being studied for a new formulation. This new formula will require one administration per month for potential treatment for opioid abuse. Methadone is a widely effective approach in the treatment of narcotic additions. Methadone is rather effective when taken orally. Methadone also has a long duration which means the drug can be taken less frequently and that because...