Methadone: history, pharmacology, neurobiology, and use
نویسندگان
چکیده
Opiates have provided relief from psychic and physical pain for millennia, but their abuse and control has created an international scourge of addiction, misery, crime, and disease. Furthermore, because opiates are frequently administered intravenously, abusers may suffer from and transmit infections, including HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Methadone maintenance remains the most successful pharmacologic treatment available for addiction, and its development has revolutionized the conceptualization of addictive disease. This article provides a review of the history of methadone treatment, the pharmacology of methadone, and the neurobiology of its therapeutic use. We will discuss current clinical practice, factors that limit methadone's use, and potential future developments.
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