Comparison of the efficacy and safety of chlorpromazine with verapamil for the treatment of acute opioid abstinence syndrome

ABSTRACT

To compare the efficacy and safety of chlorpromazine with Verapamil in patients with Acute opioid Abstinence Syndrome. Single blind comparative clinical trial was conducted at Department of Pharmacology, BMSI, JPMC, Karachi, over the period of one year. Forty opiate-dependent subjects were chosen at random who were in search of opioid abstinence treatment. All patients were grouped into two groups, group-I received chlorpromazine 150 mg/day and group-II received Verapamil 120mg/day in divided doses. Every patient completed the management plan while admitted in the hospital for 10 days. The chlorpromazine showed decreased efficacy and safety, whereas verapamil showed clinically pertinent decline in the subjective symptoms of acute opioid abstinence syndrome. The study showed Verapamit is superior to chlorpromazine in the treatment of opioid abstinence syndrome indicated by better reduction of withdrawal symptom scores, excessive opioid urinary excretion and lees side effects. The superiority of verapamil over chlorpromazine in controlling opioid abstinence syndrome may indicate that calcium is involved in the initiation and development of opioid abstinence syndrome