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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2014, 16, 4 (pages: 33 - 40)

Meeting Report: Guidelines in the treatment of opiate addiction, a review and recommendations

Alho H., Fischer G., Torrens M., Maremmani I., Ali R., and Clark N.

Summary: A meeting report from the worshop at ISAM 2013, "Guidelines in the treatment of opiate addiction, a review and recommendations". Guidelines assist practitioners in the management of opioid dependence, however, important day-to-day issues in the field must be addressed, such as “Which medication to use, how to start, how to dose, when to stop, how to manage complications and comorbidities?” The workshop aimed to define the approach to managing the gap between guidelines for opioid dependence management and the real life clinical situations. 6 expert speakers in the field of opioid dependence management presented detailed guidelines examination, the evidence for the guidelines, and expert clinical experience highlighting the practical needs for prescribers in opioid dependence management for individualised patient care and comorbidities. Results: Sufficient evidence supports the treatment of opioid dependence, but evidence gaps remain which are likely to be important in guiding specific decisions about individual patient care. Clinical experience is vital to bridge the gaps between Guidelines advice, effective individual patient tailored care in the treatment of opioid dependence. Conclusions: It is important to tailor care to individual patient needs under the consideration of evidence based facts. Initial recommendations for treatment directed by a system based on tolerance to opioids, level of existing psychopathology, and abuse of other substances could bridge the gap between Guidelines and the real life clinical setting.