Articles: narcotic-antagonists.
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Biological psychology · Feb 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyEffects of naltrexone on electrocutaneous pain in patients with hypertension compared to normotensive individuals.
An opioid mechanism may help explain hypertensive hypoalgesia. A double-blind placebo-controlled design compared the effects of opioid blockade (naltrexone) and placebo on electrocutaneous pain threshold, pain tolerance, and retrospective McGill Pain Questionnaire ratings in 35 unmedicated patients with essential hypertension and 28 normotensive individuals. The hypertensives experienced less pain than normotensives during the assessment of their pain tolerance; however, this manifestation of hypertensive hypoalgesia was not moderated by naltrexone. These findings fail to support the hypothesis that essential hypertension is characterised by relative opioid insensitivity.
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Opioid-induced bowel dysfunction (OBD) is characterized by constipation, incomplete evacuation, bloating, and increased gastric reflux. OBD occurs both acutely and chronically, in multiple disease states, resulting in increased morbidity and reduced quality of life. ⋯ Insufficient evidence exists for the safety or efficacy of naloxone or nalbuphine in the treatment of OBD. Long-term efficacy and safety of any of the opioid antagonists is unknown, as is the incidence or nature of rare adverse events. Alvimopan and methylnaltrexone both show promise in treating OBD, but further data will be required to fully assess their place in therapy.
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Wien Med Wochenschr · Jan 2008
Review Comparative Study[Opioid-induced bowel dysfunction: a literature analysis on pathophysiology and treatment].
Bowel dysfunction is a frequent and serious side effect of opioid analgetics. In spite of its common occurrence, in the course of clinical routine, it is frequently ignored or underestimated. Authors of the analysed literature widely agree that a prophylactic and routine pharmacotherapy is necessary. ⋯ Effective abatement of opioid-induced obstipation by opioid antagonists has been proven in numerous studies. However, the loss of analgesia and opioid withdrawal symptoms were described as adverse effects. Development of quaternary opioid antagonists such as methylnaltrexone was allowed for mitigating these adverse effects.
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Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. · Jan 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialNaltrexone is associated with reduced drinking by alcohol dependent patients receiving antidepressants for mood and anxiety symptoms: results from VA Cooperative Study No. 425, "Naltrexone in the treatment of alcoholism".
It is not clear whether naltrexone is effective in reducing alcohol consumption among patients with clinically significant mood symptoms and whether naltrexone favorably interacts with antidepressant medications when they are co-prescribed. ⋯ Further investigation will be needed to determine whether naltrexone is efficacious among depressed alcohol dependent patients and whether naltrexone and antidepressant medications show interactive efficacy for treating alcohol dependence.