Where can I get further scientific
information about heroin abuse
and addiction?
To learn more about heroin
and other drugs of abuse,
contact the National Clearinghouse
for Alcohol and Drug
Information (NCADI) at
1-800-729-6686. Information
specialists are available to help
you locate information and
resources.
Fact sheets, including
InfoFacts, on the health effects
of heroin, other drugs of abuse,
and other drug abuse topics are
available on the NIDA Web site
(www.drugabuse.gov), and
can be ordered free of charge
in English and Spanish from
NCADI at ncadi.samhsa.gov.
Glossary
Addiction: A chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use and by neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain.
Agonist: A chemical compound that mimics the
action of a natural neurotransmitter to produce a
biological response.
Analog: A chemical compound that is similar to
another drug in its effects but differs slightly in its
chemical structure.
Antagonist: A drug that counteracts or blocks
the effects of another drug.
Buprenorphine: A mixed opiate agonist/antagonist medication for the treatment of heroin
addiction.
Craving: A powerful, often uncontrollable desire for drugs.
Detoxification: A process of allowing the
body to rid itself of a drug while managing the
symptoms of withdrawal; often the first step in a
drug treatment program.
Fentanyl: A medically useful opioid analog that
is 50 times more potent than heroin.
Meperidine: A medically approved opioid available
under various brand names (e.g., Demerol).
Methadone: A long-acting synthetic medication
shown to be effective in treating heroin addiction.
Physical dependence: An adaptive physiological
state that occurs with regular drug use and results
in a withdrawal syndrome when drug use is
stopped; usually occurs with tolerance.
Rush: A surge of euphoric pleasure that rapidly
follows administration of a drug.
Tolerance: A condition in which higher doses of
a drug are required to produce the same effect
as during initial use; often leads to physical
dependence.
Withdrawal: A variety of symptoms that occur
after use of an addictive drug is reduced or stopped.
References
Community Epidemiology Work Group. Epidemiologic Trends
in Drug Abuse, Vol. II, Proceedings of the Community
Epidemiology Work Group, December 2003. NIH Pub.
No. 04-5365. Bethesda, MD: NIDA, NIH, DHHS, 2004.
Dashe, J.S.; Jackson, G.L.; Olscher, D.A.; Zane, E.H.; and
Wendel, G.D., Jr. Opioid detoxification in pregnancy.
Obstet Gynecol 92(5):854-858, 1998.
Dole, V.P.; Nyswander, M.E.; and Kreek, M.J. Narcotic
blockade. Arch Intern Med 118(4):304-309, 1966.
Goldstein, A. Heroin addiction: Neurology, pharmacology, and
policy. J Psychoactive Drugs 23(2):123-133, 1991.
Hughes, P.H.; and Rieche, O. Heroin epidemics revisited.
Epidemiol Rev 17(1):66-73, 1995.
Hulse, G.K.; Milne, E.; English, D.R.; and Holman, C.D.J.
The relationship between maternal use of heroin and
methadone and infant birth weight. Addiction
92(11):1571-1579, 1997.
Jansson, L.M.; Svikis, D.; Lee, J.; Paluzzi, P.; Rutigliano, P.;
and Hackerman, F. Pregnancy and addiction;
a comprehensive care model. Journal of Substance
Abuse Treatment 13(4):321-329, 1996.
Jarvis, M.A.; and Schnoll, S.H. Methadone use during pregnancy.
NIDA Research Monograph 149, 58-77, 1995.
Johnson, R.E.; Jones, H.E.; and Fischer, G. Use of
buprenorphine in pregnancy: patient management and
effects on neonate. Drug and Alcohol Dependence
70(2):S87-S101, 2003.
Jones, H.E. Practical Considerations for the Clinical Use
of Buprenorphine. Science & Practice Perspectives
2(2):4-20, 2004.
Kornetsky, C. Action of opioid on the brain-reward system.
In: Rapaka, R.S.; and Sorer, H.; eds. Discovery of Novel
Opioid Medications. National Institute on Drug Abuse
Research Monograph 147. NIH Pub. No. 95-3887.
Washington, DC: Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print Off.,
1991, pp. 32-52.
Kreek, M.J. Using methadone effectively: Achieving goals by
application of laboratory, clinical, and evaluation research
and by development of innovative programs. In: Pickens,
R.; Leukefeld, C.; and Schuster, C.R.; eds. Improving Drug
Abuse Treatment. National Institute on Drug Abuse
Research Monograph 106. Washington, DC: Supt. of
Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1991, pp. 245-266.
Lewis, J.W.; and Walter, D. Buprenorphine: Background to its
development as a treatment for opiate dependence. In:
Blaine, J.D., ed. Buprenorphine: An Alternative for Opiate
Dependence. National Institute on Drug Abuse Research
Monograph 121. DHHS Pub. No. (ADM) 92-1912. Washington, DC: Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.,
1992, pp. 5-11.
Luty, J.; Nikolaou, V.; and Bearn, J. Is opiate detoxification
unsafe in pregnancy? J Subst Abuse Treat
24(4):363-367, 2003.
Maas, U.; Kattner, E.; Weingart-Jesse, B.; Schafer, A.; and
Obladen, M. Infrequent neonatal opiate withdrawal
following maternal methadone detoxification during
pregnancy. J Perinat Med 18(2):111-118, 1990.
Mathias, R. NIDA survey provides first national data on drug
abuse during pregnancy. NIDA NOTES 10:6-7, 1995.
Messinger, D.S.; Bauer, C.R.; Das, A.; Seifer, R.; Lester, B.M.;
Lagasse, L.L.; Wright, L.L.; Shankaran, S.; Bada, H.S.;
Smeriglio, V.L.; Langer, J.C.; Beeghly, M.; and Poole,
W.K. The maternal lifestyle study: cognitive, motor, and
behavioral outcomes of cocaine-exposed and opiate-exposed
infants through three years of age. Pediatrics
113(6):1677-1685, 2004.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Heroin." NIDA Capsule.
NIDA, 1986.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. IDUs and infectious
diseases. NIDA NOTES 9:15, 1994.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. Monitoring the Future,
National Results on Adolescent Drug Use, Overview of Key
Findings 2004. NIH Pub. No. 05-5726. Washington,
DC: Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 2005.
Novick, D.M.; Richman, B.L.; Friedman, J.M.; Friedman,
J.E.; Fried, C.; Wilson, J.P.; Townley, A.; and Kreek, M.J.
The medical status of methadone maintained patients in
treatment for 11-18 years. Drug and Alcohol Depend
33(3):235-245, 1993.
Office of Applied Studies. Results from the 2003 National
Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings.
DHHS Pub. No. (SMA) 04-3964. SAMHSA, 2004.
Office of National Drug Control Policy. Heroin Facts
and Figures. Rockville, MD, 2004. Available at
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/heroin/index.html.
Sobel, K. NIDA's AIDS projects succeed in reaching drug
addicts, changing high-risk behaviors. NIDA NOTES
6:25-27, 1991.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Office of Applied Studies. Emergency Department Trends
From the Drug Abuse Warning Network, Final Estimates
1995-2002. DHHS Pub. No. (SMA) 63-3780.
Rockville, MD: SAMHSA, 2003.
Swan, N. Research demonstrates long-term benefits of
methadone treatment. NIDA NOTES 9:1, 4-5, 1994.
Woods, J.H.; France, C.P.; and Winger, G.D. Behavioral
pharmacology of buprenorphine: Issues relevant to its
potential in treating drug abuse. In: Blain, J.D., ed.
Buprenorphine: An Alternative for Opiate Dependence.
National Institute on Drug Abuse Research Monograph
121. DHHS Pub. No. (ADM) 92-1912. Washington, DC:
Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1992, pp. 12-27.
|