What other pharmacotherapies may be useful in the treatment of opiate addiction?
Naltrexone, a non-addicting long-acting narcotic agonist, was approved by the FDA in 1985, for the treatment of opiate dependence. It is effective from 1 to 3 days depending on dosage level, and it blocks the euphoric effects of heroin and other opiates. Thus far, research has demonstrated that naltrexone may be most helpful in preventing opiate relapse once an abstinence state has been achieved.
