Abstract: Methods for rapid detoxification of patients addicted to opioid narcotics are provided. The methods include administering nalmefene to induce acute withdrawal, and administering dextromethorphan with nalmefene or other opioid antagonists to reduce the patient's subjective feelings of residual withdrawal symptoms following detoxification. In one method of rapid detoxification, unconsciousness is induced by anesthetizing the patient with desflurane.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 13, 1998
Date of Patent:
July 13, 1999
Assignee:
Intensive Narcotic Detoxification Centers of America, LLC
Abstract: The invention provides a method for treating acute and severe diarrhea such as that which accompanies chemotherapy and rapid narcotic detoxification. The method includes administering octreotide in an amount sufficient to alleviate the diarrhea without precipitating clinically significant bradycardia. In a preferred embodiment an anticholenergic is administered together with octreotide to further reduce the possibility of significant bradycardia. The invention also provides a method for rapidly detoxifying a patient addicted to narcotics. Acute and severe diarrhea is eliminated during detoxification by administering octreotide in according to the above-described method.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 24, 1997
Date of Patent:
July 6, 1999
Assignee:
Intensive Narcotic Detoxification Centers of America, LLC