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Former Heroin-Dependent Alcohol Use Disorder Patients. Prevalence, Addiction History and Clinical Features.
- Source :
- Alcohol & Alcoholism; Jul2015, Vol. 50 Issue 4, p451-457, 7p
- Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Aims: To examine the prevalence of former heroin dependence (FHA) in Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) patients; to compare the clinical characteristics of FHA-AUD patients versus AUD patients without any past use of heroin at alcohol treatment entry; to document the heroin dependence history of FHA-AUD patients, and review treatment strategies for this group. Methods: Retrospective case review of 448 consecutive AUD patients. Results: The annual entry of FHA-AUD showed stability over the study period of 3 years overall 60/ 448 (13.3%). FHA-AUD patients showed higher concomitant use of cocaine, benzodiazepines, cannabis and hallucinogens than other heroin addicts. They consumed higher amounts of alcohol at the beginning of their alcohol dependence history, and reached a high maximum level of alcohol consumption, than other AUD patients, and tended to have more physical disorders. The most important signals of FHA-AUD were polyabuse and older age at the time of presentation. FHA-AUD patients tended to have had a severe pattern of heroin dependence associated with inadequate agonist opiate treatment. Conclusions: The prevalence of FHA-AUD patients is not negligible. This may relate to previous inadequate treatment of heroin addiction contributing to the development of severe AUD. For these patients we propose a reconsideration of ‘soft’ (low dose) agonist opiate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- DIAGNOSIS of drug addictions
REHABILITATION of people with alcoholism
ALCOHOLISM
BENZODIAZEPINES
COMPARATIVE studies
DRUG addiction
HEROIN
INTERVIEWING
RESEARCH methodology
MEDICAL history taking
PROBABILITY theory
PSYCHOLOGICAL tests
QUESTIONNAIRES
STATISTICS
TRANQUILIZING drugs
COMORBIDITY
LOGISTIC regression analysis
TREATMENT programs
RETROSPECTIVE studies
DATA analysis software
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
ODDS ratio
MANN Whitney U Test
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 07350414
- Volume :
- 50
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Alcohol & Alcoholism
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 110049440
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agv028