Methadone is a synthetic drug used extensively for
- short-term treatment of heroin withdrawal,
- long-term maintenance therapy of opioid addiction
- analgesia
The methadone duration of action is long and has excellent activity when given orally.
The adverse effects of methadone are reversible by opioid antagonists (eg, Naloxone).
Nowadays some opioid addicts are treated with methadone in our country, that is because they function better socially than when taking heroin, although controversy surrounds such maintenance therapy.
(Edited by Dr. María Moya Guirao, MD)