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Effects on Blood Prennssure and Specific Signs and Symptoms

Dennis S. Charney, MD; David E. Sternberg, MD; Herbert D. Kleber, MD; George R. Heninger, MD; D. Eugene Redmond, Jr, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1981;38(11):1273-1277.

Abstract
• Clonidine hydrochloride was found to be effective in the treatment of methadone hydrochloride withdrawal. Under controlled inpatient conditions established to assess dosage guidelines and to examine specific signs and symptoms of withdrawal, 20 of 25 (80%) patients were able to withdraw completely from methadone by the end of a two-week period. In most patients, ten to 11 days of clonidine administration, with a peak mean dose of 16 µg/kg/day, resulted in a perceived reduction in symptoms compared with previous attempts to become opiate free. At these doses clonidine significantly reduced standing blood pressure without producing clinical problems. The withdrawal symptoms of anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and muscular aching were most resistant to clonidine treatment and were reported by the majority of patients.

Author Affiliations
From the Clinical Research Unit (Drs Charney, Sternberg, Heninger, and Redmond) and the Substance Abuse Treatment Unit (Dr Kleber), Connecticut Mental Health Center, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication May 1, 1981.

Reprint requests to Connecticut Mental Health Center, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park St, New Haven, CT 06509 (Dr Charney).

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