A six-year evaluation of methadone prescribing practices at a substance misuse treatment centre in the UK.

A six-year evaluation of methadone prescribing practices at a substance misuse treatment centre in the UK. Research Abstract Details 

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A six-year evaluation of methadone prescribing practices at a substance misuse treatment centre in the UK. Abstract Text:

OBJECTIVES: To document changes in prescribing practice at a specialized substance misuse service in the UK occurring since the introduction of the 1999 UK National Guidelines on the management of drug misuse, and to explore a possible link between the length of time spent in methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) and the dosage prescribed. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a computerized prescription database between 1996 and 2002 obtained from Sheffield Care Trust Substance Misuse Service was performed. The relationship between various measures of dosage and the length of time spent in MMT was investigated. RESULTS: In accordance with the 1999 UK National Guidelines, the proportion of injectable methadone prescribed decreased from 22% to 16%. This was offset by an increase in the prescribing of methadone elixir from 74% to 79%. The 'maximum dose' of methadone prescribed correlated significantly with patient retention, explaining 14% of the variation in time spent in MMT. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that publication of the UK National Guidelines had a measurable effect on prescribing practice at the Service. We found that a higher methadone dose is associated with increased patient retention in MMT. However, as only a maximum of 14% of the variation in the length of stay is related to methadone dose, the importance of other aspects of treatment such as counselling and rehabilitation programmes, should be considered for the successful treatment of opioid abusers.

A six-year evaluation of methadone prescribing practices at a substance misuse treatment centre in the UK. Publishing Authors By Initials

For similar disorders of environmental origin: substance-related disorders research abstracts see: disorders of environmental origin: substance-related disorders research

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A six-year evaluation of methadone prescribing practices at a substance misuse treatment centre in the UK. Journal Published:

PUBLICATION TYPE: Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov

Journal: Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics

VOLUME: 31

Page Numbers: 477-84

Journal Abbreviation: J Clin Pharm Ther

ISSN: 0269-4727

DAY: 28

MONTH: Oct

YEAR: 2006

A six-year evaluation of methadone prescribing practices at a substance misuse treatment centre in the UK. Information

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LANGUAGE: eng

NlmUniqueID: 8704308

A six-year evaluation of methadone prescribing practices at a substance misuse treatment centre in the UK. Keywords Mesh Terms:

KEYWORDS: Substance-Related Disorders

MESH TERMS: rehabilitation

Chemical & Substance for Abstract: A six-year evaluation of methadone prescribing practices at a substance misuse treatment centre in the UK. Information

Substance Name: Methadone

Registry Number: 76-99-3

Grant and Affiliation Information for A six-year evaluation of methadone prescribing practices at a substance misuse treatment centre in the UK.

AFFILIATION: University of Sheffield Academic Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.

Country: England

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MEDLINETA: J Clin Pharm Ther

REFSOURCE: J Clin Pharm Ther. 2007 Jun;32(3):325; a

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