heroin addict and anesthesia

Ketamine as an old-new drug has a variety of clinical implications. In the last 30 years, ketamine has become popular for acute use in humans. Ketamine in standard doses is principally utilized for the induction and maintenance of surgical procedures. Besides its use in anesthesia and analgesia, recent studies have shown that ketamine has found a place in the treatment of asthma, epilepsy, depression, bipolar affective disorders, alcohol and heroin addiction. Ketamine primarily functions as a noncompetitive antagonist targeting the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, but its mechanism of action is complex...

Anesthesia for major head and neck surgery is historically heavily reliant on opioids with deleterious consequences. We reported a case of a patient with a history of heroin abuse submitted to a tongue carcinoma excision, followed by free-flap reconstruction under opioid-free anesthesia. We used a propofol total intravenous anesthesia and perfusions of ketamine, dexmedetomidine, lidocaine, and magnesium sulfate for analgesia, complemented by boluses of dexamethasone, acetaminophen, parecoxib, and metamizole...

Opioids are mu receptor agonists and have been an important part of pain treatment for thousands of years. In order to use these drugs appropriately and successfully in patients, whether to control pain, to treat opiate-induced side effects, or opiate withdrawal syndromes, a solid understanding of the pharmacology of such drugs is crucial. The most recognized full agonist opioids are heroin, morphine, codeine, oxycodone, meperidine, and fentanyl. Phenanthrenes refer to a naturally occurring plant-based compound that includes three or more fused rings...

A serious adverse effect of prescription opioid analgesics is addiction, both to these analgesics and to illicit drugs like heroin that also activate the µ-opioid receptor (MOR). Opioid use disorder (OUD) and opioid overdose deaths represent a current American health crisis, and the prescription of opioid analgesics has contributed significantly to this crisis. While prescription opioids are highly effective analgesics, there currently exists no facile way to use them for extended periods without the risk of addiction...

The use of opioids in the perioperative period is associated with respiratory depression, impaired gastrointestinal function, post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV), pruritus, urinary retention, delirium and the potential for developing opioid addiction. Currently the United States is experiencing an epidemic of prescription opioid abuse and deaths from overdose. Many addicts develop their addiction during a routine surgical admission to hospital. More people now die from overdose of synthetic prescription opioids than from heroin and other street drugs...

In December 2018, the Centers for Disease Control declared fentanyl the deadliest drug in America. Opioid overdose is the single greatest cause of death in the United States adult population (ages 18-50), and fentanyl and its analogs [fentanyl/fentanyl analogs (F/FAs)] are currently involved in >50% of these deaths. Anesthesiologists in the United States were introduced to fentanyl in the early 1970s when it revolutionized surgical anesthesia by combining profound analgesia with hemodynamic stability. However, they quickly had to master its unique side effect...

The use of illegal drugs in Taiwan is on the rise. Drug addicts often have complex physical, psychological, and social problems. In addition, they often avoid disclosing their illicit drug use by deceit, concealment, or under-reporting. Building and maintaining relationships of trust with drug-addict patients has become a critical issue in achieving better care quality. In this case report, we report on an anesthesia care process for a heroin addict who was admitted for open reduction and internal fixation surgery for the femur and patella fractures after a car accident...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: There has been a substantial increase in prescription and illicit opioid abuse in the general population observed over the last two decades. Initially fueled by an influx of prescription opioid medications, the opioid epidemic now includes increasingly potent heroin and illicit fentanyl. Younger anesthesiologists, those currently in training or recent graduates, have come of age in a society where opioid abuse is much more prevalent. RECENT FINDINGS: The current prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) in the physician population is slightly higher than in the general population and appears to be increasing...

The epidemic use of illicit drugs has led to an increasing number of patients with drug addiction and dependence presenting for perioperative care. There are a wide variety of drugs commonly abused including opioids, such as heroin and prescription drugs; stimulants, such as amphetamine and cocaine; depressant drugs, such as alprazolam and diazepam; and hallucinogens, such as lysergic acid diethylamide, phencyclidine, and marijuana. Treatment of opioid dependence by office-based buprenorphine and methadone maintenance programs has expanded opportunities for therapy...

BACKGROUND: Easing psychological symptoms associated with heroin use and heroin relapse are important goals in the treatment of heroin dependence. However, most detoxification methods are designed to decrease withdrawal-related discomfort and complications, but not to reduce the psychological effects of heroin addiction. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of scopolamine detoxification technique (SDT) relative to standard methadone detoxification (MD) to treat heroin withdrawal and psychological symptoms associated with heroin use and relapse...

In this review article the special anesthesiological problems of opioid tolerance and surgical interventions will be presented. These affect patients with a long-term opioid therapy of chronic pain, addicts with long-term substitution therapy and addicts with current or previous heroin addiction ("clean"). For all patient groups a guarantee of continuous and adequate analgesia (avoidance of fear and increasing patient compliance), exploiting suitable regional anesthesia or regional analgesia procedures when possible, and prevention of a physical opioid withdrawal syndrome have utmost priority...

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this retrospective study was to assess ultra-rapid opiate detoxification (UROD) and to estimate the retention rate in naltrexone maintenance treatment. METHODS: 45 opiate-addicted male patients (DSM-IV 304.00; opiate per oral or per inhalation n=40, heroin intravenous n=5; concomitant cannabis abuse n=6) were detoxified by 6 h of naloxone infusion under general anesthesia with midazolam, propofol, clonidine and atracurium. Withdrawal signs were evaluated by the objective opiate withdrawal scale (OOWS, range 0-13) up to 24 h after awakening...

PURPOSE: The objective of this continuing professional development module is to describe the perioperative anesthesia and pain management of patients taking opioids because of chronic pain or drug addiction. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The number of patients under opioid treatment is increasing. Pain management is problematic in these patients, because regular opioid intake is associated with mechanisms of tolerance and dependence. More recently, opioid-induced hyperalgesia phenomena have been brought to light...

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on the conditional position preference (CPP) and prefrontal cortical ultrastructure in heroin re-addicted rats. METHODS: Thirty-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal, model, medication and acu-moxibustion (acu-moxi) groups, with 8 cases in each. Re-addiction model was established by repeated intramuscular injection of heroin into the hindlimbs. Rats of medication group were treated with intragastric administration of Methadone during detoxification...

AIM: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the 16-item Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS). The SOWS measures withdrawal symptoms at the time of assessment. METHODS: The Dutch SOWS was repeatedly administered to a sample of 272 opioid-dependent inpatients of four addiction treatment centers during rapid detoxification with or without general anesthesia. Examination of the psychometric properties of the SOWS included exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and criterion validity...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Drug abuse, especially with designer drugs, continues to grow, involving a wide demographic range. Consequently, anesthesiologists may be involved in the care of patients under the acute and chronic influence of a myriad of substances. In addition to the usual physiological damage to vital organs (heart, lungs, kidneys, and immune system) new evidence of permanent damage in regions of the brain responsible for memory and pain mediation is emerging. As drug use continues to increase, anesthesiologists must learn to detect drug abusing patients and avoid known interactions...

Addicts have an exaggerated organic and psychological comorbidity and in cases of major operations or polytrauma they are classified as high-risk patients. Additional perioperative problems are a higher analgetics requirement, craving, physical and/or psychological withdrawal symptoms, hyperalgesia and tolerance. However, the clinical expression depends on the substance abused. For a better understanding of the necessary perioperative measures, it is helpful to classify the substances into central nervous system depressors (e...

A 24-year-old female with a history of former heroin addiction underwent open heart surgery for a mechanical tricuspid valve replacement. Anaesthesiological management included a thoracic epidural catheter at the Th(2)/Th(3) segments and balanced general anaesthesia (remifentanil, desflurane/propofol). Additionally, clonidine (2 microg*kg(-1)*h(-1)) was continuously administered. Pain therapy was achieved using 0.375% ropivacaine via a thoracic epidural catheter (4 ml*h(-1)) and metamizole (4 x 1 g/day) intravenously...

OBJECTIVE: Addiction to opium and heroin is not only an important social and individual problem in the world but it also affects the human physiology and multiple systems. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of chronic heroin consumption on basal and vagus electrical-stimulated total gastric acid and pepsin secretion in rats. METHODS: The study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran from August 2002 to June 2003...

The aim of this work was to study abstinence rates and withdrawal effects of rapid detoxification of opioid-dependents under general anaesthesia (RD-GA) compared to standard methadone tapering (SMT) using a prospective clinical trial with a follow-up of 3 months, as a preliminary study at the Novadic addiction centre in St Oedenrode and St Joseph Hospital in Veghel, the Netherlands. Thirty opioid-dependent patients took part. Outcome measures included urine toxicology screening for opiates to determine abstinence and presence of objective and subjective opioid withdrawal distress symptoms...