Opioid withdrawal syndrome is the physiological response that develops when there is abrupt cessation or rapid reduction in opioid dose in a dependent individual, or when that individual is administered an opioid antagonist or partial agonist.
References
- Kosten TR, O’Connor PG. Management of drug and alcohol withdrawal. New England Journal of Medicine 2003; 348:1786-1795.
- Olmedo R, Hoffman RS. Withdrawal syndromes. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America 2000; 18(2):273-288.
- Tetrault JM, O’Connor PG. Substance abuse and withdrawal in the critical care setting. Critical Care Clinics 2008; 24:767-788.
- Webster IW (Chair of the Detoxification Guidelines Project Steering Committee). New South Wales Detoxification Guidelines. NSW health Department 1999. State Health publication Number (DTPU) 990049, May 1999.
About Mike Cadogan
