About Naltrexone

Naltrexone (trade name Review, produced by Due Pont) is a strong and highly specific opiate antagonist.

Naltrexone binds to opiate receptors and prevents from penetration of heroin, methodon, codeine, dentoxile and other opiates thereto. Owing to this effect opiates administrated in the body do not produce their specific effect (euphoria, miotic pupils etc.).

Thus, patient taking Naltrexone in doses prescribed by doctor cannot have narcotic intoxication if takes heroin or other opiates in.   

Usual administration regime of Naltrexone is 1 tablet (50 mg) 1 times a day. Other administration regimes are also possible: 2 tables every other day or 3 tablets one time every third days.

Clinical studies prove safe administration of Naltrexone in the above-mentioned doses. Naltrexone does not provoke dependence or any addiction.

Usual duration of Naltrexone therapy is 1 year. Minimum duration is 6 months.

Contraindications:

·        Acute hepatitis

·        Pregnancy

Attention: Attempted intake of heroin or other opiates during treatment with Naltrexone may lead to overdosing and death.

If you have passed detoxication course and administrated Naltrexone for some time, Your resistance to opiates reduced much. So called “usual doses” may lead to death!

Administration of Naltrexone to patients not passed detoxication causes during 5-20 minutes extremely heavy manifestations of abstinence: nausea, vomiting, convulsions, muscle pains, aches in waist and joints, tachycardia, cardiac rhythm impairment. Acute psychosis is possible.

Sometimes, these manifestations are so much pronounced that it becomes necessary to hospitalise a patient to the department of intensive care.

Preparation Naltrexone of long-term effect   

By force of different reasons opiate addicts do not observe the prescribed regime for Naltrexon administration, and this almost always leads to recurrent drug intake.

Peak of recurrences falls on the first three weeks after detoxication because urge toward narcotics is extremely powerful during this period.

Implantation of Naltrexone pellet preparation blocks effect of heroin, protects patient from recurrence in the most vulnerable period – first weeks after detoxication.

Duration of Naltrexone pellet effect is 5-8 weeks.

We advise implantation of Naltrexone pellet during 1 year. This is the most reliable way to avoid recurrence.

Advantages of implantation:

·        There is no necessity to control administration of Naltrexone in tablets.

·        Urge toward drugs reduces since there is no need to strive for what does not produce the effect sought for.

·        Practically, opportunity of recurrence during effect of the implant is excluded almost completely.

Disadvantages of implantation: 

·        Much higher costs

·        Necessity in “smaller” surgical operation

·        Probable inflammation at place of implantation.

Patient and his/her family shall decide what to do at the end of detoxication whether to implant Naltrexone pellet or start administration of Naltrexone in form of tablets, When making the decision, it is necessary to remember hat by end of the year about 90% of those who preferred Naltrexone in form of tablets, and only about 10 % of those who chosen implantation, become opiate-addicted.