HARCP Archives

Browse by article

Browse by volume

Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2006, 08, 1 (pages: 31 - 48)

Effectiveness of buprenorphine in double diagnosed patients. Buprenorphine as psychothropic drug

Maremmani I., Pacini M., Pani P. P.

Summary: Opiate drugs were first proposed for the treatment of dysphoric syndromes, depression and psychoses many years ago. Even so, the usefulness of these compounds in psychiatry is supported by only a small corpus of data. The reasons given for the restrictions placed on opiate use are based on prejudice rather than scientific evidence. Buprenorphine, with its unique pharmacological profile, has proved to possess antidepressant, anti-dysphoric and antipsychotic properties in small groups of psychiatric patients. Moreover, it may turn out to be the opiate of choice in subjects affected by lower severity addiction coupled with dysthymic disorders, anxiety disorders and personality disorders. The best dosages appear to be those that ensure a combination of k-antagonism with high levels of μ-mediated stimulation.