Pharmacotherapies for treating opioid use disorder

CNS Spectr. 2013 Dec;18(6):289-95. doi: 10.1017/S1092852913000229. Epub 2013 Apr 8.

Abstract

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a major public health problem in the United States. It has resulted in devastating consequences for people with this condition, including psychosocial and legal problems, in addition to contraction of infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B and C. Furthermore, this disease can cause fatalities from drug overdoses and drug-drug interactions. OUD shatters families and destroys relationships. Effective treatment is crucial in order to curtail the consequences of this condition. The objective of this article is to provide a review of the pharmacotherapies currently being used to treat OUD.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Humans
  • Naloxone / therapeutic use
  • Naltrexone / therapeutic use
  • Narcotic Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Opiate Substitution Treatment / methods*
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • United States

Substances

  • Narcotic Antagonists
  • Naloxone
  • Naltrexone