results the mean qtc at baseline (pre-methadone) was 426 ± 34 msec and after being on methadone for an average of 8.72 ± 4.50 years was significantly higher at 450 ± 35 msec. no significant relationships were found between qtc prolongation and risk factors except for calcium. the methadone dosage was significantly higher in veterans with a qtc change above the mean change of ≥ 24 msec (88.48 ± ...

conclusions sleep quality showed a poorer profile than sexual function. therefore, more emphasis should be laid on treatment of sleep disparity during follow up of mmt patients comparing to their sexual function. patients should be reassured that probable sexual dysfunctions should not be regarded as a consequence of mmt. results mean ± sd age of the subjects was 41.2 ± 7.9 years and 93.4% of t...

OBJECTIVE To quantify the effect of opiate substitution treatment in relation to HIV transmission among people who inject drugs. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective published and unpublished observational studies. DATA SOURCES Search of Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane Library from the earliest year to 2011 without language restriction. REVIEW METHODS We ...

introduction: addiction is a habit or behavior that is often hard to quit. it is estimated that 190 million persons are substance users around the world. substance abuse creates tolerance after a while. shortly after taking the drug, a person will not enjoy as the beginning of its use that is why the amount of substance used is gradually increased. the purpose of this study was to find the reas...

BACKGROUND The Opioid Treatment Accreditation Course (OTAC) is a mandatory accreditation requirement in New South Wales, Australia, and aims to prepare medical practitioners for the provision of safe and effective Opioid Substitution Treatment to people with opioid dependence. The course has a strong focus on safe prescribing practices and the course design includes a Professional Practice Foru...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of opiate substitution treatment at the beginning and end of treatment and according to duration of treatment. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. Setting UK General Practice Research Database. PARTICIPANTS Primary care patients with a diagnosis of substance misuse prescribed methadone or buprenorphine during 1990-2005. 5577 patients with 267 003 prescriptio...

The review in this issue of the International Journal of Drug Policy (Grund, Latypov, & Harris, 2013) highlights the disturbing harms caused by the increasing use of 'krokodil' by people who inject drugs (PWID) in Eurasia. The growing use of this home produced injectable opiate poses a number of challenges for harm reduction policy, particularly when situated in restrictive regulatory environme...